The other day, I saw a teenager driving a car slowly, with two others on skateboards, hanging on to the car window and rolling along.
Patidev and I looked at each other, rolled our eyes, and made some generic "teenagers these days" comment. Even though this was in our neighborhood, the kids were not familiar, and we did not stop our car and talk to the kids. We just sort of wished that they would not be doing what they were doing, especially in our neighborhood.
I know better. I volunteer at Project Cornerstone, where we encourage people to do just the opposite. Yet, I did not acknowledge the kids, or their actions. I did not set boundaries.
No wonder teenagers feel that no one really cares! How often do we bother to talk to teenagers, find out their names, or what their interests are? How often do we let them know what we expect? How often do we assume that they know, and that they don't care?
Does any of you have teenage kids? Do they wish that adults in their lives would treat them with more respect?
Patidev and I looked at each other, rolled our eyes, and made some generic "teenagers these days" comment. Even though this was in our neighborhood, the kids were not familiar, and we did not stop our car and talk to the kids. We just sort of wished that they would not be doing what they were doing, especially in our neighborhood.
I know better. I volunteer at Project Cornerstone, where we encourage people to do just the opposite. Yet, I did not acknowledge the kids, or their actions. I did not set boundaries.
No wonder teenagers feel that no one really cares! How often do we bother to talk to teenagers, find out their names, or what their interests are? How often do we let them know what we expect? How often do we assume that they know, and that they don't care?
Does any of you have teenage kids? Do they wish that adults in their lives would treat them with more respect?
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