Les Lawrence writes to the Editor

Les makes the point that the best way of dealing with teenagers is by getting to know them!

Dear Editor,

I read with interest Lee MaCarthy's letter in last months Village Pump and his observations regarding our young people. I don't believe there is any difference between the young of today and those I was in contact with years ago.

I don't like doing this, as I have explained in an article which I hope you will be kind enough to publish in the August edition, but I hope you will forgive me Mr. Editor if I spend a few moments looking back.

For some 40 years I worked in insurance operating in the same area as that covered by our Village Pump. There were very few teenagers that I didn't know and of course their Parents as well. After all, I was being paid to know them! It was their money I was after - insuring their motorbikes & cars and of course selling them savings policies the moment they started work. I didn't of course overlook dear Mother, calling to see her five minutes after having her baby. "Nice little policy for Baby" asks I. Poor Mother had hardly got out of bed.

I built up a relationship with these people, teenagers and their Parents, and when those teenagers called at my home wanting a quote to insure their motorbikes, cars, etc. they treated me, my Wife, my home, with the utmost respect. Little wonder that I reciprocated that respect.

Of course there were some bad apples in every barrel, as I found out when I had two brand new cars vandalised. But that still didn't alter my respect for the rest because I knew what decent honest young people they were. And that is my point. I KNEW them.

When I hear criticism of our teenagers I ask myself yes but how well do you know these teenagers? Are you in touch with them as indeed I was years ago? Going back to my article which I referred to and which I called, "Now and the Future" one word I used frequently was "Communication."

There is nothing wrong with our teenagers that a little bit of working together can't put right, and if we did more of that then our world would indeed be a better place.

Les Lawrence