Bad parenting or a verry mature child ?

I would blame all three! todays children are growing to fast or at least trying to! Then there is pressure from other kids to be like them. That is society as its worse! Parents are resopnsible for their children. Some are bad examples and don't care or realize they are! There are good parents! They tell their kids what is wrong and what are right! Sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn't. In some ways it is the parents fault but then again not! You can be the best parent in the world and still have a child who turns out badly! I think it is also can be the schools fault! So many schools and teachers don't seem to care about their students or just overwhelmed! We need better eduation,too! Wrap that all up and all 3 can be the problem!

in either way, both will be counted............

Hi Bagputza, It is society in general. I was 10 when I began smoking. I was also trying out whiskey with some friends at age 11 and 12. That was back in the 60's! A lot of my classmates back then were smoking pot and dealing at age 12!! My family moved about that time and it was like night and day. Where we moved to the kids actually acted for the most part like kids.

There are a lot of factors to be considered here. Parenting is one. But there is also the media, peer pressure, the environment, other people being bad examples, poor education, adn the list just goes on. So it's a collective factor really.

11 year old children are still children - minors - and as such are not held responsible SOLELY for their behavior. These children should be supervised by adults, not left alone at the park to engage in inappropriate behavior. Number one - yes the parents and/or guardians are at fault. If they had given these children the proper boundaries and guidelines, AND the correct supervision, this would not be happening. Number two - yes society plays a role but if a parent teaches their child the difference between good and bad, better and best, consequences for actions, etc, then the role of society is lowered and doesn't affect as much the choices a person makes.

I think everyone has a responsibility. What can children look up to these days? Do they have a stable home to even live in? Any role models to look up too?

The parents can't do too much. They can raise their child in a Godly manner but in just a snap of a finger everything can change. The decision to do something is always the prerogative the person himself. In terms of society, I don't think so. Society is a perception. Who is the society? both the people whom you speak of as those who smoke in public and those groups of children who you saw smoke are part of the society. If you blame the society (the group who smoke in public, probably adults) for smoking and prohibits them in doing so because they "influence" children with their actions, you're depriving them of their freewill. Right? I'm sick of tired of people pointing fingers. Assume responsibility and grow up, everyone of us is the master of our own fate and the captain of our soul. If ever your parents or the society sucks it's not a reason for you to suck!

Now days children follow their elder's or the people in society.so I would blame both the parents and the people.Children need to be thought some manner some principal's which they can follow in their life at an early age. Now days smoking has become a fashion for young boys/girls they find it it the cool way of living but they don't think that its harming it.