<p>I guess what especially sticks in my craw about this situation is that this particular family is like the royalty of our area. Very wealthy established people. That’s why the other parents were afraid to go against them. Isn’t it nuts?? I’m not from here and could care less about regional royalty but it does seem to make a difference. Its almost like adult peer pressure!!</p>
<p>There are some activities that are best left to father/son. Hunting is one of them. I shoot waterfowl and it is an activity that I would like to introduce my sons to - when they reach the proper age.</p>
<p>I have target shot with my boys and it is SAFETY, SAFETY, SAFETY, first, last and always. I know how I shoot and how I want my boys to shoot and I don’t want anyone else teaching them their way in lieu of mine.</p>
<p>You see, even without the hunting, I would not have approved of a big group of kids on a party with ATVs. That also was a recipe for disaster and again, I can’t believe the two Dads were willing to take on that responsiblity and liability. Actually, I can’t believe all those parents of the kids invited went along with it. </p>
<p>There have been times when my kids were still home and wanted to ride in a car with teen drivers with several in the car, and in certain situations, my answer was no. Too risky. They got it. In Jan., my 17 year old was home and wanted to drive over a friend’s house but it was snowing that night. We said she couldn’t drive but we’d be happy to drive her. She asked if she could ride with a friend and we said no. She accepted it. She knew her safety is our concern, plus she was in a near death car crash last year. Now they are in college and we don’t hold the reins as much as we did before. However, even ten days ago, when we were attending a college race my 19 year old was in, we were very concerned about her team driving back to campus through the blizzard which was in the area they were traveling to back to college. She was to be in a car driven by herself and or teammates and also some were going in vans driven by fairly young drivers. Besides having had our own child in a serious car crash, just that week, two teens in our region were killed in a car crash and in fact, the only survivor to that crash was my other D’s college roommates’ brother. We knew that if our 19 D was living at home, no way would we allow her to drive in a blizzard so it was hard to let her drive in it with the team just cause everyone was doing it. My husband insisted she come home with us (where there was no blizzard) for safety reasons, and then he left at 5 AM the next day to drive her back to college in time for classes. She actually accepted this without question. At first, I thought she may not because she wasn’t going with the team, plus we don’t really set the rules as much when she is on her own at college now, but I think she knew our concern for her safety was reasonable. And that’s what I mean about setting a limit when safety is the factor…kids often do understand that, as compared to some other limit. Actually, my kids accepted in high school that they couldn’t go to parties unless a parent was present and that we’d call to find out. Others could do it but they knew our reasons. They accepted it. Kids will. I’d have said no to the ATV’s even without the guns. I was recently on vacation in Mexico and my nephews who are 15 wanted to rent an ATV on the beach and their dads did it WITH them…no way were they allowed to ride those alone. The kids didn’t question that. </p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>Also, don’t you need a hunting license to hunt? I’m not totally up on this but the kids who go hunting here with their fathers, seem to have to attend hunter safety courses and get some kind of license or permit to hunt.</p>
<p>
UMDAD~</p>
<p>My husband could have written this exact thing. THUMBS UP! ~berurah</p>
<p>That’s a very good point about the hunting license and I know NOTHING about hunting so I wouldn’t know. Maybe I’ll google it and find out.</p>
<p>I’m curious what one does with dead doves and other birds. It is infathomable that a child would be proud and happy to carry around the dead carcasses of these gentle creatures. Same goes for shooting deer from a hiding place in a tree. Now, if somebody told me they plan to bag a bear with knives and spears, now there’s a sportsman. Shooting gentle non-aggressive animals from a hiding place is cowardly (IMO, of course).</p>
<p>Honestly, I think if some family had a “let’s all go jump off a tall bridge” party some people would feel pressured to send their kids. My kids wouldn’t have even bothered to ask.</p>
<p>Weenie—I actually used to go bridge jumping with friends in HS… but my parents never knew!</p>
<p>So it was overnight, in the dark?</p>
<p>Um, you did the right thing mom and your son handled it well</p>
<p>dmd…Well, that’s true too…I can recall some similar activity here (jumping off railroad bridges no less). Perhaps that will be my kid’s next birthday party!!!</p>
<p>It was an overnight party in that they have this ooky cabin on the premises…and I believe the hunting was the next a.m. Don’t talk about jumping off of things ! I used to jump off of the roof of my parents’ house for fun. (of course, would I let my kids do it as my mother’s still in that house? NEVER!!)</p>
<p>“I can recall some similar activity here (jumping off railroad bridges no less). Perhaps that will be my kid’s next birthday party!!!”</p>
<p>This is hilarious. I thought I had great themed birthday parties for my kids for years. I was known for that in these parts. I have never thought of a jumping off bridges party or a hunting one, though!</p>
<p>OK, so I was curious that my recollection was that youth around here get hunting licenses/permits and attend hunter safety courses, and what not (we are NOT into hunting at all so I am not up on the specifics). Now, you didn’t say what they were hunting for. But here is what I was talking about here in Vermont, at least with respect to deer hunting (very popular in fall):
(this is taken from: Vermont Digest of Hunting, Fishing and Trapping Laws by Section)</p>
<p>“Vermonts youth deer hunting weekend is on the Saturday and Sunday prior to the opening of the regular November deer season. Young resident hunters who qualify can pick up youth deer hunting tags from hunting and fishing license agents. Anyone under 16 years of age who has at least one parent or guardian who is a legal resident of Vermont and who has successfullycompleted a hunter education course may obtain a free youth deer hunting tag by presenting a hunter education course certificate and a filled out application to a license agent. A parent or guardian must also sign the application. In addition to satisfactorily completing the hunter education course and obtaining the youth deer hunt tag, a participating young person must hold a valid Vermont hunting license and be accompanied by an unarmed adult over 18 years of age who holds a Vermont hunting license. Landowner permission is required in order to hunt on private land with a youth deer tag. The adult may not accompany more than two young hunters at a time. Landowner permission is required in order to hunt on private land with a youth deer tag. A Vermont youth deer hunt tag is valid for one deer of either sex on youth deer hunting weekend.”</p>
<p>So, that’s what I mean…a license is required…hunter safety courses are required…and there are laws of who must accompany the youth hunter and how many per adult. </p>
<p>I’d look up what the situation is in your state…that parent may very well have been in violation. Certainly just going by what I just posted, these are the KINDS of things that there are laws about (even if he didn’t break any in your state) and thus any reasonable person would concur that what those dads did wasn’t real safe. They would be sued to the wazoo if anything had happened. It reminds me of parents who host (knowingly) an underage drinking party. Who in their right mind wants to be liable for THAT??</p>
<p>Susan</p>
<p>WE’re in the Southeast, and I looked it up but it was fuzzy about the under 16-ers. I get a bad rap for being a party pooper in all of this (!) but the irony is I know people (though not around here) who wouldn’t hesitate to pick up the phone and call the Sheriff’s office to report that party…oh well…</p>
<p>Forget the age for a moment. Were there laws about hunting licenses if you are going to hunt? Hunter safety courses?</p>
<p>Also, what were they hunting?</p>
<p>I don’t think I’ve ever heard of a more inappropriate party for 13yo boys. A parent here held a 16 yo boys birthday party at Hooters and I thought THAT was inappropriate. This is just plain dangerous IMO.</p>
<p>Did I read correctly that at a school party this kid pulled out a rifle??? What did the school have to say about this? Around here, that would have been grounds for expulsion. It sounds like these people and their unsafe ways need to be avoided at all costs.</p>
<p>I’m with UMDAD, this is an activity best left to father/son, one on one.</p>
<p>I also was thinking the same thing about the school party incident. Here, guns or rifles are not allowed on school property…not even in their trucks parked on school property. I’m wondering about that turkey shooting incident at what you called a “school party”.</p>
<p>Is this all about trying to outdo the other birthday parties? Seriously, where do parents get off with this kind of stuff? I am just flabbergasted that the parents would be willing to take on that kind of liability/risk. Good for you dke.</p>
<p>On another note, re: outrageous parties, my neighbor had a limousine pick up her 9-year old D and 6 friends, and take them to NYC for a show and dinner. I just about croaked when she told me.</p>
<p>Can we tell outrageous kids party stories and hijack dke’s thread?</p>