Loafing

The loafing syndrome has sparked off much debate and controversy among people from all walks of life lately. Many programs and suggestions have been made to combat the situation. However, loafing may not necessarily be a waste of time. It all depends on the way we look at it.
Loafing should not be viewed negatively. Rather, it should be viewed as a desire to be with one’s peers. Teenagers who loaf may appear to do nothing of importance but this is not true. Teenagers tend to become closer to their friends than their parents and siblings. When teenagers hang out with their friends, they are actually interacting with their peers. In short, they are just being normal teenagers.
No one can go through life working all the time. There are times when we must relax our bodies and minds. Teenagers do this by going out of the house and meeting with friends. Everyone loafs—the difference is only in the venue. Teenagers may only be able to loaf at fast-food outlets and shopping malls; adults do it in exclusive clubs. Adults should not be hypocrites. They should own up that loafing is an activity that has been around since time immemorial.
Loafing could also be an indicator that parents are unaware of the needs and pressures that teenagers have nowadays. Society is changing so rapidly that teenagers are faced with many new things non-existent in their parents’ time. Simply brushing aside the onslaught of foreign cultural influences that teenagers of the 90s face with the words ‘Its not part of our culture’ is not enough. Parents need to understand their teenagers and keep up with the changing trends that affect their children. The problem might be solved if both parties stop blaming each other and instead work to bridge that gap.
As long as teenagers do not get involved in negative activities, loafing is a way of relaxation and a means of escape from the pressures of school work. Loafing need not be a vice or a sheer waste of time; it can be a recreational activity. Parents and teenagers need to work hand in hand so that loafing will not be a negative activity and instead be seen for what it is: an escape from the rat race.
Vocabulary
loafing avoiding activity
own up admit
onslaught invasion; attack