The Charmed Life of an American Teenager

On a recent trip to the city, I came across some young girls on the street, maybe 18 or 19, making fun of people, giggling and carrying on as if they were 11 or 12 years old.

Now I am definitely not a party pooper or a strict adult who can't have fun, but there was something about seeing those young adult girls act so silly that really got on my nerves. I sincerely believe that especially at a time like this when so many people are losing money, losing their jobs, and nearly losing their minds, that it is time for young people over the age of 18 to start growing up and learning some of life's lessons.

Grown Babies

Many young American people over the age of 18 still rely on their parents for everything. And when I say everything, I really mean everything! They don't feel the need to work or contribute because nowadays kids grow from age 17 to age 20 and on as if nothing has changed. They are no longer pressured to gain knowledge, get jobs, or live out on their own, even if just for a little while.

They are grown babies, who will throw a hissy fit if their mom brings home the wrong brand of peanut butter or refuses to rent them a video game from Blockbuster. They are adults with the minds of children, believing that they are supposed to be supported through life by their parents for eternity. And most of this is the parent's fault.

I sometimes wonder if these kids ever look to the future? What will you be doing when you're 40? Will you still be sitting in your mother's bathroom yelling at her for forgetting to buy new toilet paper again? And what do they plan to do as far as a mate?

Realities of Careers and Money

If you ask any adult today who has been laid off, or just happened to choose a dead end career path, they will tell you that they never expected this happen to them. They will tell you that they had such big dreams as kids of 18 or 19, and they find themselves in a totally different, very scary place when they turn 35. Just look at all the 50 and 60 year olds who have worked all of their lives only to find out that all of their retirement money is now disappearing because of events that are entirely outside of their control.

Instead of continuing to be clueless about life and running around town being silly like those young girls on the street that day, American kids today should instead be learning from the lessons that people 10 and 15 years older than them are experiencing. If they don't they will possibly suffer the same fate, or even worse.

A Discussion of College

One lesson that I wish someone would have taught me when I was 17 and 18 was that no, you don't have to go to college in order to be successful. I agree that college is a wonderful step for young people to make, but it's not for everyone. Some people will do better to attend technical schools, or even get loans to start their own small businesses instead of throwing tens of thousands of dollars away at college. College is mostly for people who want to be doctors, lawyers, or financial advisors.

Yet and still, many young people blindly enroll in college, not even knowing what they want to major in, thinking that it is the only way they'll be successful. In college however, they are transported into an even bigger fantasy world. They become disconnected from the reality of life. After all, they get food, housing, and fun without ever even having to write a check. They swipe their way right into oblivion. They continue to live in this fantasy world, never learning a thing about real life, until they finally get that rude awakening on graduation day. So maybe in a way, college is contributing to this problem with American kids being so silly and carefree.

Until American kids grow the heck up and start taking responsibility for their lives, there is no telling what direction our country is going in. Older adults shouldn't be afraid to share their experiences with young people to help them avoid the pitfalls of life. Teens, you don't have to learn everything the hard way .