Since April 2003, this community has been suffering from a mysterious rash.
This highly contagious, multi-symptomed rash spread quickly from the southernmost quadrant of Brandon Townships to the most northeastern quarter, and finally into the village of Ortonville
The rash is most commonly known as malicious destruction of property, larceny with force, breaking and entering, and/or home invasion.
Manifesting itself at night, the rash will wake residents from a dead sleep with the sound of auto alarms blaring, or glass breaking.
Victims are headachingly blindsided when waking up to the devastating effects of paint spattered walls, smashed mailboxes, or trashed lawns. Some rash victims experience security loss as a result of stolen money, guns, wallets, purses, cd players, radar detectors, cell phones and jewelry.
This month three unemployed men, ages 14, 16 and 17, allegedly admitted responsibility to the rash of break-ins at Sashabaw Meadows and Clarkston Lake Estate mobile home communities.
In April The Citizen regrettably covered a story involving two 19-year-old young men who have been charged with arson of a home after attempting to destroy a Brandon resident’s mailbox.
In the most recent rash, Ortonville village resident’s vehicles are being smashed, thrashed, and damaged for the treasures locked inside. While the persons responsible have not yet been apprehended, witnesses have seen a pair of teens in the ‘wrong place at the wrong time.?
Twenty-two years as a parent begs the question ? what is being missed?
If you know the who, what, when, and where of your children’s lives, the signs will not be missed.
Teens need money.
Read the signs. If your teen is not working or getting an allowance, where does the money come from for new cd’s, movies, video games, gas for the car, or a meal at McDonald’s.
Not until becoming a parent did the words ‘idle hands? and ‘devil’s workshop? have a credible meaning.
As the parent of two, now adult, boys I learned boredom and lack of jobs meant trouble for my kids.
My eldest taught me really fast the word parent really meant police, guard dog, recreation director, teacher, bus driver, nurse, employer, coach, psychologist, and friend. The full time job did not figure into the equation, that was a side job.
At age 2, it was either ten minutes of reading Lil Chubby books, or clean up the contents of the pantry off the floor.
At 10, toss a ball in the yard or scour the neighborhood for a boy on a red mountain bike.
At 13, it was a choice to sit on hundreds of hot baseball fields throughout Michigan, rather than sitting home wondering if it was my son snapping hood ornaments off the neighbors? cars.
At 16, the choice was, learn how to rap and slam dance or whose car they were all out smoking in.
At 17, it was more dusty baseball fields, and him getting a job, rather than drinking and driving.
Not that he didn’t try to get into trouble’every child tests the limits.
Mine went through family separation, both boys showing signs of protest in disciplinary problems at school. We hung tight, together, to the point of being accused of smother mothering.
We weathered through financial crisis, both combating the depression by slipping an odd piece of candy into their pockets. Each of us suffering the embarrassment, hand-in-hand, returning the uneaten treat and fessing up to the keeper of the goodie jar.
Experimentation with alcohol became a battle of wills? lost by the hung over 16-year old who moved the living room out of the house for spring cleaning.
Each boy bought his own first car.
A junk heap? Yes it was, but it was his hard earned junk heap.
By the grace of God, neither child wrecked his car.
The most important lesson learned as a parent is every spare dime, new cd, video game, or gallon of gas was accountable…..to me.
‘No explanation? Take it back, you didn’t earn it, it’s not yours.?
Sitting on the other side of the child rearing theater I can say the key to making it through is, ‘Don’t miss a moment…..and read the signs.?