[deleted account] ( 15 moms have responded )
I'm 16 and I notice that adults are very hard on kids, teenagers specifically, and unreasonable. I'm not one of those teens that thinks that I know everything, but my maturity is beyond my age. I feel that some adults that I have come across take me for a joke and don't treat me equal as an individual. Most adults don't respect our views and feel that we don't have knowledge on anything.
I hate when adults belittle teens just because we are younger and less experienced than they are and treat us like babies. We're not. We are just as intelligent, knowledgeable, responsible, and capable of making our own decisions as they are, no matter how little they THINK we are. I am very respectful of adults, but if they treat me like I am an irresponsible, mindless little kid, I will most likely lose respect for them. Because I am far from those things and I feel like I, and most teens deserve to be respected as the upcoming adults that we are. Treat us as equals, not inferior. I hope you adults understand my point of view(:
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[deleted account]
@Shawnn,
Well, I'm not ''all teens.'' I am only myself and can only speak for myself and other teens that I personally know. I don't even hang out with people younger than me, because they are all immature and only care about partying and being popular. Most of my friends are between the ages of 16 and 20. As a level headed, smart girl, I don't have time to associate myself with less than. Maturity is not defined by age, but by wisdom. Notice I said I am mature for MY AGE, not that I'm more mature than an experienced adult in their 30's and 40's. But I do feel that I am more mature than most people my age, if you knew half the teens at my school, you'd understand why I say that.
Jodi - posted on 02/07/2015
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I'm not talking about a part time job. My son has a part time job too. That doesn't mean he is equal to me because I still pay for this house, for the food, for his school fees, for his medical, and so on. He isn't equal.
However, I don't treat him as less intelligent or dumb him down or belittle him. But he isn't as knowledgeable or as capable of making the same choices as I am. He doesn't have the experience to do so. It is my job to guide him with those choices AND place boundaries around those choices.
Sorry, Ashlee, at 16, you actually aren't just as responsible as the average adult. I don't know you personally, so I can't talk about you specifically, but in general, a 16 year old is not as responsible as someone who is 25 or 30 or older. That doesn't mean you shouldn't be respected, but the respect looks different. You shouldn't be treated as "inferior" but treated "differently" than if you were an adult is perfectly acceptable.
Clearly there is a reason you have posted these comments. I'm thinking there is something that has happened that you are upset over - specifically that your parents have said no to something you want to do. I could be wrong, but normally when a teen comes on this site and posts something like this it is because they are annoyed that their parents won't let them do something.
[deleted account]
@Dove,
I don't get why you think I'm ''arguing'' I'm just expressing how I feel, as I have the right to. You getting defensive isn't going to help or change how I feel. Sorry.
@Michelle,
Normal teens where I live consider drinking, partying, and acting wild as being a real teenager. I consider being a real teen is making good grades, being responsible, doing constructive things. I don't have to act a certain way to be considered a normal teen. I feel like me having my own mind and not doing the things that other teens do makes me MORE mature than them. I really don't care if you agree with me or not, but this is my standpoint. 2 years isn't a very long time from being an adult. I'll be 17 in 4 months exactly. So, why not start acting like one now?
Dove - posted on 02/10/2015
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If you present yourself in person anywhere near the way you've presented yourself here... the way you get treated that annoys you so much is well deserved.
I'm not sure why you keep bothering to come back here and argue w/ a bunch of adults and try to prove yourself to us (since all you are doing is proving just how truly immature you are every time you respond). Go and live your life. The only thing you are accomplishing here is getting another group of adults to sit and shake their heads at another kid who thinks she knows it all.... so you are accomplishing the exact opposite of what you 'say' you want....
â« Shawnn âªâ«â« - posted on 02/09/2015
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"I'm not one of those teens that thinks that I know everything, but my maturity is beyond my age"~~Honey, all teens think that. I did, when I was your age...LMAO...good thing I learned better!
"I'm respectful of adults"...as long as you want to be, I see...
Proving maturity is much more than age or knowledge...It also involves knowing when to be discrete, how to judge a situation appropriately, and how to present yourself as an intelligent adult rather than a sulky teen. Using blanket statements "adults are very hard on kids" isn't going to get you far.
For example, I, as an adult, have expectations of children of all ages. Each age group has appropriate expectations. For my 17 YO, that includes being able to present ideas rationally, without sulking or fits when they aren't universally accepted. It includes being articulate enough to present oneself in the manner that they wish to be treated. In other words, if you can truly act as an adult, with your words and actions, you're more likely to be treated as such. If not, well...