 Ms Buahom Vannavong, 45, a resident of Wattay village, said: "I don't know how teenagers think and what they believe. For my children I am sure that they believe me, when they have problems they will come to talk and consult with me. My children don't like going out, so they don't have much time to talk with their friends. I see some children believe their friends much more than their parents. When their friends persuade them to go out, they will go out, when friends persuade them to do something, they will do it. But when their parents tell them 'don't go out,' they don't care. Some teenagers believe and care so much for their friends they'll even drink alcohol, smoke, and get addicted to drugs. I want all children to believe and listen to the reasons that parents preach. All parents want to see children do everything the right way and the good way. It is ok if sometimes they discuss with their friends because at some point old people won't have a clue." Mr Kosy Viladate, 16, another student of Phiavat Secondary School, said: "My parents gave birth to me, so I have to listen and believe them. My parents advise me not to travel, but I will. Sometimes my parents tell me not to play with some friends and I will follow them because they want me to be a good person. We can see that some people have bad friends, they always miss class to travel around and after that they fail their exams. I don't want to make parents sad, so I will listen to them and believe them." Ms Toukta, 19, a resident of Phontong village, said: "I believe myself much more than other people. I know what is good and what is bad; I think and make decisions by myself. I listen to my parents when they tell me, sometimes I follow their advice but sometimes I do not. For most of my problems I will consult with my friends because they are the same age as me and we understand each other more than my parents do. I'll always ask my friends who have experience and after that I will consider myself before making any rash decisions." Mr Heuang Kanphasouk, 55, a resident of Nongsanokham village, said: "Our society has changed and the ideas of teenagers in the new regime has changed also. They don't care much about parents' advice, relatives or teachers. They think that they know everything, sometimes when they have problems, they prefer asking their friends, not their parents, like my child. I try to point her in the right direction. I want her to care about her studies but she doesn't listen to me. She always goes out because her friends persuade her. I don't get angry with her if she wants to go and travel, but I want her to have knowledge for her future. I think if teenagers have good friends, they will be a good person because their friends will lead them in the right direction and will help them solve problems. If they have bad friends, they will take them the opposite way and they will sacrifice a good future. They will miss classes to go somewhere or for fighting, they'll forget about studying and spend money they don't have." Ms Tuck Sihalath, 19, a student of the Pakpasak Technical School, said: " I believe my parents and brother because they have more experience than me. When I have some problems I will discuss with them including love issues. I am sure that they can talk with me about everything, they open their minds to listen to me. They will speak out and advise me without caring whether I'll be hurt or not, if they believe they're right. And I am sure that parents, brothers and sisters never run away from us whenever we have problems, are poor, sad or happy. But friends, they wear masks to meet us I think. They can listen to us, but they can't give us the true solution, because sometimes they can't speak out as they are scared it will make them shy or sad. They just want to comfort us to make us happy. I think friends can run away from us and meet up with new friends, but family can't." Mr Xayanan Houngxaiyasaeng, 16, a student of Phiavat Secondary School, said: "I believe myself, I know that sometimes my ideas are right and sometimes they are wrong, but I still believe myself. When I come to school and study well, my parents like it. So I know that I am going in the right direction. But when I go with my friends, my parents don't like this because they are scared that I will go and do something bad. I don't listen to them because I know that I go out with my friends for entertainment and fun, if my friends persuade me to do something bad, I'd draw the line. I think believing in myself and making my own decisions is better than believing other people. Sometimes my friends know, but my parents don't know, sometimes my parents know but my friends don't know, so I have to weigh it up." |
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