It is often either no curfew or strict curfew when it comes to young teenagers and their parents. I have grown up with friends who can be home whenever they want and friends who cannot be a minute past 10. The older I get the more I notice how lenient parents have gotten, including my own. Young teenagers tell me their curfew and all I think is how it was not like that when I was their age.

Ever since I have been able to drive, I have always had a curfew. Before I was 16, my curfew was 10 p.m., because of the state. Until I was 18, my curfew was 11. Once I was 18, my curfew was all over the place. It all depended on what I was doing or who I was with and where I was going. 

“I’ve probably set the record for most times breaking curfew in a 4-year span. If it’s anything later than like 45 minutes I’m for sure grounded, anything less and I usually get a stern talking-to the next morning. Anything over an hour generally results in being grounded for one-two weeks,” said an LHS 18-year-old. 

I have broken curfew numerous times. A couple minutes past is not a huge deal, but sometimes I have really pushed it and have gotten in trouble.

“I was in my driveway well before my curfew but sat in the car with a friend until seven minutes after my actual curfew and my parents changed my curfew to an hour earlier because I wasn’t ‘in the door’,” said an LHS 17-year-old.

Life360 has taken control over my life and other teenagers as well. My parents love the app but a lot of us can disagree. 

“It was during the summer coming into my junior year and I had gone to the fair with friends. My curfew was 10:30 and then my parents had me on Life360 to see where I was. But little did my parents know I was able to turn off my location because it was weird for me to be tracked by them. A few hours went by and it was 2a.m. and my parents called me saying I had broken curfew by a mile. I asked if they wanted me home right away and they said no but to just have fun. By the next day I came home and then they said okay I said have fun not to be back whenever. Next thing you know I got grounded for a month,” said LHS 17-year-old.

Some yeenagers do not have curfews or their parents are not strict about it.

“I don’t really have one; if my parents want me home they just text me,” said an LHS 16-year-old.

Then sometimes teens are able to get out of being grounded or bend the rules just a little bit.

“It’s called playing dumb or making up a story. If your friends’ parents are cool enough they will advocate for you and text your parents if you are late/going to be late,” said an LHS 17-year-old.

Most of the time teenagers are out to be out, it doesn’t always mean they are doing anything necessarily bad. But just because they are being safe does not mean their surroundings are always the safest. Our parents care about us and that is why they want us home. My mom cannot sleep unless she knows where I am and if I am safe or not. Parents are not trying to be mean when asking us to be home.