From Football Near Misses to Vaping: Boonville Park Parents Share Concerns About Teen Behavior Endangering Littles

Parents in Boonville are raising concerns about safety and behavior at local playgrounds, citing incidents ranging from near collisions during football games to teens vaping and engaging in inappropriate conversations.

The concerns, widely shared on social media, highlight tensions between families with young children and older children using public spaces.

Jessica Lynn Brickner, a Boonville resident and mother, shared her frustrations in a detailed Facebook post, noting that she avoids taking her four-year-old to the park in the evenings due to recurring incidents of harassment.

Brickner wrote,

She described teens and young adults vaping, talking about sex and drugs, and playing football aggressively, creating a hazardous environment for younger children.

Brickner recounted a recent visit where several young children were playing football near the playground equipment. She said,

When she politely asked the children to play in the open field instead of near the playground, she received the dismissive response, “It’s a public park.”

Brickner said she left the park frustrated, emphasizing the need for parents to teach respect and awareness of others, especially in shared spaces.

Community members responded to Brickner’s post, sharing a mix of agreement, personal experiences, and differing perspectives.

Jerry Camp attributed some of the behavior to parental oversight, commenting,

Tanya Whelan expressed empathy, reflecting on her own experiences taking her granddaughter to the park during school breaks.

Robert Miller highlighted the challenges faced by children with disabilities, recalling a near accident involving his autistic son and a child riding an electric scooter on the playground.

Miller noted that he felt compelled to leave the park, frustrated that his child’s safety had been compromised through no fault of his own.

John McCully IV shared that, during his visits, he mostly observed profane language rather than dangerous behavior.

Brianna L. Riniger noted ongoing efforts to increase police presence at the park.

At the same time, Austin Seiler connected the current issues to the park’s historical decline, suggesting that families avoided the space for years due to older children and rowdy behavior.

Lisa Newton argued that teens should not bear the responsibility for avoiding younger children, pointing out that the park is a public space meant for all. She wrote,

Similarly, Mj Rushing questioned where teens were supposed to gather if not the park, emphasizing that public spaces naturally include children of all ages.

Charlene Westerfield, a parent of both older and younger children, expressed frustration that some park-goers do not respect communal spaces.

Nicki Eden suggested alternatives for families seeking safer, controlled environments, such as Scales Lake, which offers gated access, new equipment, and a more structured environment.

Alan Kreilein noted that challenges at the park have existed for decades, reflecting long-standing issues with the use of public space.

James Carver offered a generational perspective, reminding parents that today’s toddlers may one day grow into the teens who are now cautious about.

Meanwhile, Martin Higginson and Matt Shofner highlighted societal changes, questioning modern parenting styles and the erosion of communal supervision that once guided children’s behavior.