21st Century Children - I'm Staying Home

It was 3 and half years ago when I had an entry detailing some of the observations I had about the children of today and had some general observations about the differences between them and my experience as a child.  Well, on New Year's eve it hit me as my wife mentioned to my 15 year old daughter, who was sitting on the chair stalking us as she does most days, that when she was 15 she was totally doing something different than what my daughter was.  That's when it hit me... I am going to put my daughter's teen age life up against my own.  I am not going to judge either because we both chose the path we did...I just shake my head at the path she chose.  The best way, that I could think of, was to try and recall what I was doing on particular events at her age and then compare them to what she is doing.  I was certainly not the most popular kid but I also wasn't a complete loser either...like most, probably somewhere in the middle...just like I think she would be as well....

So for this first installment of "21st Century Children" I thought the idea that spurred it all should be the starting "event' and that is my daughter, a 15 year old sophomore in high school.  For New Year's Eve she sat at home in a chair while her parents watched Dick Clark's Rocking New Year's Eve.  Probably did some facebooking and texting as well to add to her new year's excitement.

When I was 15 and it was New Year's Eve I remember what I was doing.  I, like her, did not have a license or car of my own yet...but I knew someone else that did (as does she).  Even without a car, staying home was rarely even considered, especially on a party night like New Year's Eve.  We ended up at the (old) Holiday Inn in Bismarck which has been a haven for New Year's parties for many years and every minor within 50 miles would be there.  By this time (age wise) we knew people that had rooms but it didn't matter.  By midnight the Holiday Inn was packed wall-to-wall top to bottom with people, with many if not most of us being minors.  I didn't get arrested, didn't hurt anyone...had some beer and a fun time.

After telling my daughter that story the first words out of her mouth were "What did your parents think of that?" I smiled and said "They never knew about it and still probably don't."  She kind of laughed but also got this devious look on her face and I knew right then that she totally plans on telling my mother about that evening...that's what my daughter would rather do...tell on people and be a narc...that's a good time in her world.  The funny thing is, is that event happened almost 30 years ago...I think my mother no longer gives a shit at something I did when I was 15 and back then, if you weren't arrested and got home alive...everything was good.

So there you go, my first "event" of comparison...my teenage daughter versus my own teenage experience...