Teenage Runaways :: Journalistic Essays

Teenage Runaways A news bulletin flashed across the television. Interrupting my favorite program, a news reporter announced, "Missing teenagers." The reporter went on to state that a group of young teenagers had been reported missing for the last twenty-four hours. It was later reported that the teenagers had run away, and they had left a note demanding more independence. The teenagers were from wealthier homes; therefore, the parents of the missing children could not understand the reason their children left home. The teenagers later stated, "We are almost grown; give us our space." Teenage runaways are becoming a problem in America. Each year, many teenagers run away from home because of troubles with discipline, communication, and attention. The first girl that the news reporter interviewed said, "The discipline in my house is out of control." The girl continued to give examples to back up her statement. She said that she couldn't be two minutes late for her curfew. She would be grounded a week for every minute she was late. There were to be no phone calls after 9:30 p.m. She couldn't talk to boys on the phone at all. If she was caught breaking the rules, she lost all of her telephone privileges. She had to have an adult with her at all times. Her last statement was, "I know my parents are doing all of this out of love, but give it a rest. Let me grow up!" The reporter asked another girl a few questions. The girl began the interview with the statement, "My parents do not understand me. I know they are trying, but give me a break. They want to talk to me all the time. Our communication is outrageous." The girl continued to tell the news reporter about the problem. She said that her mother wanted to know about everything going on in her life. Her mother wanted to talk about her sexual experiences; she wanted to know how it felt to be drunk, and her mom would ask her daughter to share her spiritual thoughts with her. "My mom wants to be my friend. I understand that, but some things are better left unsaid," the girl said in closing. The last teenager that the reporter talked to was a young boy.