The Lakewood Ranch Main Street remedy? Patience, of course

Where is Yogi Berra when you need him?

He could have summed up the topic of the day — kids under 16 needing supervision or they won't be allowed at Lakewood Ranch Main Street after 6 p.m. — with the following comment he made once when asked if he wanted to stop at a particular restaurant.

"Nobody Goes There Anymore, It’s Too Crowded."

We're getting annoyed because people like First Fridays, a.k.a. Music on Main.

We're created a monster. Or parents have created some monsters, depending on your point of view.

If you check the Online Etymology Dictionary, kid was once defined in the early 1800s as "skillful young thieves and pugilists."

It appears we have more than our share of those kind of kids along Lakewood Main as we head into the wee hours.

Now if Main Street's reaction, the ban of unsupervised teens and tweens after 6 p.m., wasn't a knee jerk to the idiotic actions of three kids on July 1 when they set fire to couches outside of Starbucks, then it was at least a leg quiver. In the words of my grandfather right before he punished me, "I'm fed up."

To illustrate, I will relay a story from my neighborhood pool last week. I always have said I will not live in a 55-and-over community because I like being around children. However, in my neighborhood, it's basically 95% over 55.

You get used to it ... the peace and quiet. So while swimming some laps the other day, I noticed a 5-year-old having fun at one end of the pool. No biggie. I just adjusted my line a bit. But when I came up to touch the wall as I was making a turn, this little rascal squirted his mouthful of water right into my face. For him, this was more fun than Christmas.

Why you little .... darling. Patience, Jay.

Yes, Main Street. We need a little patience.

Easy to say when you're not the owner of a business who has water spit into their face on a regular basis. It wears you out. You start to equate the Little Rascals to Genghis Kahn.  

For years, business owners were used to meandering seniors, sophisticated shoppers whose biggest fault was being grumpy at times. Now the street is packed with families, and that means kids. Lots of them. With more on the way.

Take a deep breath, because a lot of good is happening along with the bad. Understand that in 2016, nonprofits raised $800,000 combined through Music on Main and other events hosted on the street. That figure has climbed by about 26% since 2012, when Lakewood Ranch developer Schroeder-Manatee Ranch, the plaza’s owner, started tracking the data.

Let's not ruin a good thing because we have some kids out of control. I have been to many First Friday events since moving here two years ago. I have never had a problem with a child. I've never even seen a child causing a problem. I just don't want to see these fun events that make Lakewood Ranch so special end.

I would be remiss if I didn't have a few words to those who say Lakewood Ranch doesn't have anything for kids to do. Parks, sports, lakes, the YMCA. What is it you want? What ever happened to the family playing catch in the yard, or board games?

Hopefully, emotions will settle now that everyone has had their say about Main Street, but you never know.

As Yogi says, "It ain't over 'till it's over."