A few years ago several teenagers loitered everyday outside my apartment window. Sometimes they skateboarded, other times jumped off a wooden ramp with their bikes, but always did they curse and swear.
Especially one kid, who was the ringleader. Every second word was the f-shot. An angry kid.
So one summer evening, as I was trying to get work done but hearing this caustic stream of vulgarity outside my window, I decided to straighten these punks out. I went on my balcony and yelled at them to chill it with the bad language.
They looked at me as if I was an alien, then continued swearing as soon as I left. Louder this time. They swore even more from then on, especially the ringleader kid. He was angry for a kid.
I was getting angry too. Even with my windows closed I could hear the cursing. I was tempted to threaten them, to really let them "have it", but in a rare moment of sanity realized that I can't force them to do anything. I can only change myself and how I respond to them.
So I changed myself, and instead of getting angry, I decided to help them. I started a dog walking business and hired the ringleader to walk the dogs. That way he'd be busy and earn some spending money.
I gave him business cards with his name on it and bus tickets whenever he needed to get somewhere.
Turns out it was his first job ever. I later found out he had behavior problems and had been expelled from High School.
I befriended him and showed him how to go door-to-door to get clients. He didn't have a dad around so I was probably the closest thing to it.
He stopped swearing after that, and so did his friends. I didn't even ask them to.
Unfortunately his unemployed mother was evicted about a year later, and he with her. I haven't seen or heard from him since.
Be the change you want to see in the world. -Gandhi