Adults vs. Kids

To anyone who may think adults and older teens treat younger teens and kids unfairly, this is to you. Many young teens feel like adults treat them like they’re not good as them, or as smart, all because they are younger. Maybe this is a fact, young teens aren’t as smart as adults, or maybe it’s adultism.

     For as long as we know, older groups of people(16 and up), have been treating kids and teens younger than them like they are capable of less things than them, or their opinions aren’t as important. This could be that, older groups think that the younger groups don’t know as much, because they haven’t been alive as long to experience as many things. This is not the case, as many kids understand just as much, if not more than older groups. Most of it depends on who the person is. This stereotype can lead to low self esteem for the minors, a feeling that they are not as good as others, and even a loss of their freedoms. The younger groups are like Cinderella, while the older groups, are the Step-mother.

      Some of this, comes from parents. For example, one 13 year old says she has experienced this. One day, she heard her mom and her sister arguing about some plans they were making, but were trying to decide whose way was the best, so that they could fit everything they had planned in. Her sister gave valid arguments, and was not giving up what she believed in. The 13 year old said that she believed her sister’s side was the best and accurate. What her sister was saying, would be the best timed to fit everything in and benefited everybody.  Then, her mom said,”Well i’m the adult, and you’re the child.” Her mom won the argument, not because she was right, but because she was older.

      One 13 year old, who is a student at Premier Charter School, Lorena Ceno, was interviewed about how she feels about this adultism. She claims,”I feel like they(older groups/older teens) treat younger people like they’re not as good, with no respect. Even if they’re one year apart, they treat them as if they are ten years apart.” Lorena explains how she has seen in the past how older kids don’t want younger kids to join in their conversations, because they’re “not as mature”. Another PCS student, Kayla Heilig(13) explains that she feels older students treat younger students as “little kids”, but that older students should help younger students become responsible, instead.

     Many older groups have the superior power, while younger groups don’t get the same equality, or voice as them. They are not given the chance to speak, or share their opinions, as they please. Many are not allowed to be leaders, as they “won’t lead others”. Older groups feel that younger groups do not have as much experience, so they aren’t as smart, while young groups are left feeling like they aren’t as important. This is untrue! Every group, no matter the group, is equal.