By Karina Caban

While there are several places throughout the Bronx where young adults can learn how to become better parents, the neighborhood streets are often the most obvious place parenting education can be found.

Interviews with Bronx teens show that daily interactions on the sidewalk, in the subway and at the local bodega offer a view of the challenges and rewards of parenting. “It’s always chaotic where I live,” said David Hawkins, 17, who attends Metropolitan High School. “I see little kids being pushed to the side by their parents and [heard about kids being] beaten to death.”

David understands it is not easy being a parent but doesn’t think negative behavior is acceptable. “ I think it’s bad parenting,” he said.

But not all exchanges are negative.

“An autistic child ran up to me for some chips,” said Ashley Vargas, 16, a student at Metropolitan High School. “His mother apologized to me, lecturing her child on why that’s inappropriate.  The mother of the autistic child said, ‘No baby, you have to be careful because that makes some people feel uncomfortable.’”

These interactions have affected how some Bronx teens see their future as a parent.

“If I ever had kids in the future and if they are disrespectful, I would hit them,” Cindy Osorio, 17, said. “But if they feel uncomfortable and out of place I’ll probably talk to them.”

Another student at Metropolitan who asked not to be identified, said, “What I’ve learned from bad parents is to not harshly discipline my child, but encourage them to understand where they come from.”

The Bronx is trying to help people be better parents with how to educate and take care of a child. Borough President Ruben Diaz Jr. is helping dads by involving them in a program called “Fatherhood Taking Action.” For more information, follow the program on Twitter at @BronxFTA.

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Welcome to the Norwood News, a bi-weekly community newspaper that primarily serves the northwest Bronx communities of Norwood, Bedford Park, Fordham and University Heights. Through our Breaking Bronx blog, we focus on news and information for those neighborhoods, but aim to cover as much Bronx-related news as possible. Founded in 1988 by Mosholu Preservation Corporation, a not-for-profit affiliate of Montefiore Medical Center, the Norwood News began as a monthly and grew to a bi-weekly in 1994. In September 2003 the paper expanded to cover University Heights and now covers all the neighborhoods of Community District 7. The Norwood News exists to foster communication among citizens and organizations and to be a tool for neighborhood development efforts. The Norwood News runs the Bronx Youth Journalism Heard, a journalism training program for Bronx high school students. As you navigate this website, please let us know if you discover any glitches or if you have any suggestions. We’d love to hear from you. You can send e-mails to norwoodnews@norwoodnews.org or call us anytime (718) 324-4998.