Juvenile behavior - Cause? Effect?

Juvenile delinquents -cause and effect?
By Dr. Ada Alden
There is serious trouble in the Pilanesberg National Park in northwestern South Africa. Rangers, for the last three years, have been distressed by the discovery killed white rhinos, about one a month. Imagine their surprise when they discovered the the same phenomenon was happening at Hluhluwe Umfolozi Park in the southeastern section of the country. Often the suspects are poachers grabbing the horns of the rhino for illegal sales around the world. This was however not the case as the animals were left intact- horns and all.

Using their best Nancy Drew -Sherlock Holmes methods, the rangers solved the mystery of the monthly murders. One of the first clues was that he wounds had been caused by long sharp objects not gunshots. The murderers were pachyderms- young, aggressive bull elephants that killed the rhinos by kneeling on them after knocking them down.

The curious theory behind these murders should give on reasons to think. Granted the theory is not proven -- but it is interesting. The elephants may be depraved. As young elephants, they were removed from their slaughtered parents during a culling operations in the Kruger National Park and relocated to establish elephant populations in parks and private reserves throughout the country. The good news was the populations of the elephants was preserved. The bad news may be that usually elephants are raised in tight knit groups and this close connection was severed. Since 1978, almost 1500 orphan calves, 600 of them males, have been moved to unfamiliar locations and raised with no exposure to adult elephants or the hierarchical social structure that defines elephant life. Marian Garai, a Swiss-born zoologist says that normally a dominant older male elephant is around to keep young bulls in line. The displaced calves have no role models. This may have had a profound effect on the elephants’ psychology.

Park rangers brought in two adult female circus elephants to the Pilanesberg Park and the young elephants settled down. Next year, a few 40 year old bull elephants will be moved to the area to add their wisdom and support. Now entire families of elephants are moved. No longer in the culling are the young separated from the parents.

There are lessons for us who are curious enough to pay attention. Maybe youngsters of all types need time with adults? Maybe it isn’t healthy to have three year olds guiding three year olds. Maybe too many 7th graders on their own is asking for trouble? Maybe with out clear guidelines and connections our young will run rampant through the South African park or the streets depending on your location. A recent Star Tribune article focused on the increasing numbers of children joining gangs. Authors David Chanen and Terry Collins ended the lengthy column by commenting on how parents are not taking an active interest in their children's lives. I believe it is Rollo May who said, when one’s sense of self worth and self esteem is threatened, individuals resort to acts of violence.

Two friends from Minnetonka High died in a terrible car crash recently. In the Star Tribune story by Tom Ford he stated that adults held hands and made a human circle around the students who were mourning for deaths. Both parents and students were grieving. However the adults seemed to have created a protective circle around the young. Generational connections can not be maintained and nurtured via instant messaging. .
Our future depends on adults who recognize the importance of being present, predictable and and accountable.

Running Lessons

Running Lessons

David Walsh, recently interviewed by Bill Moyers on public television, believes that children learn through observation and then they imitate what they’ve observed. He is often quoted by local media as a thoughtful and concerned physician worried about violence. Times are changing. Home, community, and societal values used to be synchronized as to what was best for children. If Walsh is right, we should consider what we are putting into our children's learning experiences. What are they observing? What does it mean to be a grown up? What messages are we sharing with children about being an adult? What are modeling regarding commitment and responsibility?

I have been surprised by the many lessons our children learned from their running mother. I remember training for my first marathon. Heather once said, “Mom when you leave for a long run you look like Kathryn Hepburn. But when you come back you look more like Henry Fonda.” My appearance change was the result of those long training runs that usually took all of Saturday morning. I remember going to grocery stores in the afternoon barely able to move the cart. Heather helped push the cart as I studied which bread and milk to purchase.

There were many evenings when I was the only parent home. I would have the girls turn on the front porch light and I would run up and down the street. If they needed me, I could easily be contacted by flicking the light. They often encouraged me to go for a run as my attitude improved after a few miles.

During their growing up years I found running a quiet place where I could realign my thinking. I could listen to my breathing and reconnect with the calm, mature mother I wanted to be. Trying to be an attentive able parent could on occasion result in an exhausted, too loud – too worried woman. Running helped me find inner peace. I have kept the following quote tucked safely in drawer for years

I congratulate the long distance runner for his self-discipline.
I share with him his loneliness. I envy him his peace. Pierre Trudeau

Trudeau was trying to run Canada at the time. I found running a household equally as challenging. I resonated to the use of loneliness, self-discipline, and peace. I know being the parent I wanted to be required self-discipline and was often lonely. Our daughters are fine able mothers today. They do a fine job raising four amazing grandchildren. I have noted however, they both run. They too have learned the value of taking time to “get away” and regroup. They need to become the mothers they want to be. They too are trying to create a home of connections, communication and commitment. They watched their mother struggle. They too are finding their way with running shoes, sweaty socks and sunblock. They too are learning life lessons on the road.