Originally Posted by JackTheLad

The stories aren't extreme at all. If the incidents didn't happen to the girls at my school, they would have happened to other teenagers at a different school or in a different city, and I would have read the stories anyway.



If you really really want to know, here's how I spent my boring teenage years.

I studied, trained twice a week in squash and tennis, went to Christian fellowship every Friday night, attended church every Sunday morning, member of Duke of Edinburgh Awards program, member of Model Parliament at high school (Canadian political role play for students), member of Model United Nations at university, Junior Achievement member (business entrepreneur club for students), helped younger students at my high school with homework, taught maths and sciences to disadvanted kids in West Philadelphia, had classical singing lessons once a week with a mezzo-soprano.

I went to some discos and clubs in Toronto with friends a handful of times. Didn't like the noise and if I had stayed longer than 1/2 hour, I was certain I would have lost my hearing completely.

I don't smoke, don't do drugs, was never, am never, and will never be interested. Didn't like staying out because of other acitivities which I enjoy doing and need time and energy for them.

The only thing that might have been illegal was that I had beer with cream soda and ice-cream during dinner with my family, and I was definitely underage then.

Oh yes, something exciting I did during my sophomore year (2nd year at uni) - many a weekend night, staying up looking after stupid drunk freshmen (1st year students) who lived in my dormitory. Making sure their parents weren't losing their precious children who were having a fantastic time.



Please don't feel sorry for me, not even a bit. You don't know what a great life I've had so far and how grateful I am for everything I've got. That's all I want for my kids as well.

Mrs JTL

Originally Posted by PamE

It's lovely that you seem to have had a pain-free, saintly adolesence but you do seem to have emerged from it a rather intolerant & judgemental adult

Originally Posted by Louiseh86

But the point I'm trying to make is that your teenage years is the time to make whatever mistakes you might make, when else in your life are you not going to have any responsibility?

Originally Posted by Louiseh86

Well no one I knew ever died of alcohol poisoning. So to me and the social circle I was in, it is quite extreme. I don't know about where you grew up but I still imagine that deaths from alcohol posoining and girls taking their own lives aren't "common".

Originally Posted by JackTheLad

You do realise the irony of posting a judgemental and intolerant post to tell Mrs JTL shes judgemental and intolerant

How she was brought up was how she was brought up. You don't like it, tough! Thats how we want our kids brought up too!

She didn't do the nightclubbing, drugs, snogging guys in public thing. Sorry if that offends your sensibility, feel free to judge us

JTL

Originally Posted by PamE

It's lovely that you seem to have had a pain-free, saintly adolesence but you do seem to have emerged from it a rather intolerant & judgemental adult

Originally Posted by PamE

It was just an observation, not a judgement, and was worded as such. I'm not an intolerant person and I recognise people who hold views like your wife do exist and are of course entitled to their opinions. It is admirable that your wife clearly had a stable and positive upbringing - I didn't say I didn't like it and I made no comment about the anti-drug stance (or 'snogging guys in public' - eh?!)

No, you didn't comment then but you certainly are now!

etc so I don't understand why you are rolling your eyes & talking about 'offending my sensibilities'

It's wasn't so much the content of your wife's post that I thought seemed a tad judgemental and intolerant but rather the tone, which comes across as rather holier-than-thou tbh.

Originally Posted by comet555

Yes, teenagers can and will make lots of mistakes. Although I have to disagree a bit with the no responsibility. I don't want my kids growing up without learning a great deal about responsibility before they leave home.

Originally Posted by JackTheLad

And by the way, the girl didn't die from alcohol poisoning, she threw up and choked herself to death. It's very different

Originally Posted by JackTheLad

I have made mistakes, probably too many, but they were more like "I had a stupid fight or argument with so and so", "I didn't prepare well for my exams/squash matches", "I skipped so many Japanese classes that I nearly had to redo a semester to make up for the hours", "I let my grades slip after I got university admission", etc.

What other mistakes do you think I perhaps should have made in my teenage years to enrich my life experience? I can't think of any.

Mrs JTL

Originally Posted by paulry

I made heaps and heaps of mistakes during my adolecent years (and a bit beyond). Somehow I survived and have made it my mission to ensure that my kids don't have to repeat the errors in order to learn from them. If I succeed then they'll get a 20 year head start in life. So far so good

Originally Posted by paulry

Life's lessons are endless

Originally Posted by Louiseh86

I don't think you should've made any other mistakes but by going by your previous post it sounded like you were far too busy going to Sunday school and watching the naughty kids to have any experiences of your own.

Originally Posted by Louiseh86

That's lovely Paulry but make sure they do get to make some mistakes themselves. I'd hate to be too protected from the real world.