Who Are Youth? What is Childhood?

         The reading by John Bell, Understanding Adultism was quite thought-provoking. The way Bell shined a light on the reality that children and youth are saying in many ways that we, the adults, are failing them is intense. It's really interesting to think about how adults know that we have such an impact on the children and youth of today and what we do now shapes their future, yet we don't regard them or their feelings. I've always said that no matter a child's age, what is going on in their life at this very moment is their whole world and to belittle their experience or current situation is detrimental to their development. I believe that Bell alluded to this throughout, especially when discussing the "emotional legacy" that weighs on the kids over time. One of the beliefs addressed in this article is that children have a role to play in society and when they step outside of that role they suffer the consequences. Bell writes about how there's a level of respect that is demanded of children from adults but is optional to be reciprocated. This idea is very prominent and often leads to children triggering adults who have never acquired the skills to have a healthy and effective conversation with someone younger than them let alone a child which unintentionally causes offense resulting in the child getting punished. Another belief that stood out to me was children are powerless and helpless. In the NPR podcast, Are Children a Marginalized Group?, Jules Gill-Peterson brings up a valid point that children and youth barely have basic rights to do anything without the approval of their caregivers, simply because they are young but in many cases proving that they are more than capable to accomplish various tasks and goals. Society places many barriers in place to protect the youth but at the same time, those same barriers block them from growing and evolving in many ways.  Another point mentioned in the podcast was that many of these systems that are put in place to keep children and youth in a box are quite contradictory because we expect the younger generations to "stay in a child's place" but in the same breath want them to grow up and get serious about their lives and their future but when they do we don't respect and choose to invalidate them because they're young.  The last belief that stood out was touched upon in all three of the readings, each in its own way, which was children and youth lack maturity and can't make sound decisions. In some ways, I can see how there is a lack of faith in children to do certain things right or act appropriately in different situations but to keep all children in that box diminishes their intellect, their capabilities, and their own personal experiences that have made them into the person that they are. 

These stereotypes are reinforced in almost every walk of life. Not just in schools but in workplaces and in the media, let alone in the homes. Many children are forced to grow up faster due to the needs of their family whether voluntarily or not but will also deal with being scolded or disciplined when they give their opinions or take initiative with something that is deemed "for adults". This leaves many kids with a type of imposter syndrome which they carry well into their adult years.  Especially for children and youth of color, they walk a fine line between being looked at as adult in many ways and also as a child simultaneously. The way society treats them depends on the environment, who they're with, how they speak, and how they're dressed, it all impacts their experience moving through this world as children. Navigating a society with such mixed feelings on how children and youth should be makes it a difficult place for any person to be in, even more so when you're still learning about life, morals, and everything else that comes with being a kid. For me, I think about when I was a teenager and a part of my church's youth group. For years anytime we had an event whether it be a church picnic, a concert, a conference, you name it the youth were always "voluntold" that they were helping out in one way or another. Although we didn't mind helping out it felt as though we were always doing the jobs nobody wanted to do. When we'd speak up about it we were dismissed and ignored and this went on for years. It wasn't until I aged out of youth group and was appointed to oversee the group that my voice was heard about the overworking of the teens. Even still with me being the head youth group leader, when I'd encourage my kids to speak up about things they felt were unfair or didn't make sense they were dismissed or ignored at times unless I intervened. It was definitely an experience that opened my eyes to the adultism and ageism that was and still is around me in many ways.