My faith in the next generation is growing.

[Custard Chick]

Normally, teenagers drive me crazy. I do know a handful of decent ones (a 17 y/o I worked with for a few months would refer to all the managers and associates as 'Mr. Brian' and 'Ms. Katie' - way too cute), but the majority I see around just drive me up a wall with the stupid idiotic stuff they do!

But this group of kids who go to school with my younger brother really gives me hope for their generation.

Background: My brother has Downs Syndrome. It's not that severe, causing him only to be a year behind in a 'normal' school (he's mainstreamed, only taken out of 'regular' classes for a little bit during the day for extra tutoring) - he turned 16 in April and will be a Sophomore in high school this fall. He is one of the sweetest little guys you will ever meet. He also LOVES music. His favorite bands are Gaelic Storm and the Saw Doctors (Irish rock).

Around St. Patrick's Day, Saw Doctor's were playing at House of Blues. So my dad got himself, my mom, and my bro tickets (he spoils my bro rotten) and they go.

Now, whenever we go anywhere with my little bro, he ALWAYS runs into someone he knows - whether through school, church, youth group, or his summer camp. He knows EVERYONE.

So it came as no surprise that he ran into a few people at the concert. These guys were all 16/17/18 y/o high school kids who came with their friends to see the concert.

My mom told me that these boys, who you would normally assume to be snotty teenagers, came up to my bro and parents, shook my dad's hand, introduced themselves, referred to my parents as "sir" and "ma'am" and had a genuine conversation with my little bro.

It really just made me happy to see that these boys were so accepting of my brother and so courteous to my parents - as sad as it is to say, you don't see that too often with that age group anymore.

[Evil Queen]

I want to meet teenagers like that! :cry:

[XCashier]

That's really sweet. Kudos to those kids!

[BookstoreEscapee]

Has he ever heard of Blaggards? (google "Blaggards" and it's the first thing that comes up.) They are "stout Irish rock" from Houston, TX. The lead singer is from Ireland but I don't think anyone else is. (Full disclosure: the bass player is my cousin.) When I was at my parents' a few weeks ago I put their CD on my iPod and I've been listening to it in the car all week. :p

[RecoveringKinkoid]

Your brother has excellent taste in music, I would have been at the Gaelic Storm concert in Greenville, SC last friday if I hadn't been so tired of travelling every single weekend and just opted to stay home and rest.

Got razzed by all my friends, who all went.

You're right, there are some awesome kids out there. You only ever hear about the crappy ones, but good for you for giving the Good Guys some airtime. :)

[GingerBiscuit]

To be honest, most teenagers I know are like that, under the bluster of teenagerdom. I certainly was, though I acted out quite a bit as a teen.

I suspect most adults on here weren't as perfect as they remember themselves being at that age ;).

Teenagers act out and overreact, and it is the nature of their elders to lose hope for the new generation. Happens every time, that the vast majority of them grow up. And then repeat it all over again with the next lot of teens...

but that aside, it is nice that some teens are willing to put aside the bluster and posturing for a while to be nice to someone.

[BookstoreEscapee]

Some of my favorite coworkers in the stores have been teens.

[Sarlon]

my god...you mean people have manners these DAYS?!! including kids?!

man I thought I was one of the few...

course I had a different upbringing, I got nothing if I didn't say please and thank you, people were always ms. so and so, or mr. so and so, and "yes ma'am/sir, thank you", or "no thank you ma'am/sir"

course I grew up semi spoiled, being the youngest of 3...but ladies and gentlemen....

spoiled does NOT mean brat!

kudos to those kids though...not many would know how to react to a child like that....triple kudos for your little brother for being as strong as he is!

[AdminAssistant]

Kudos to the kids...and kudos to your brother, for overcoming his circumstances. He sounds very confident and outgoing....good for him!

[Jester]

I suspect most adults on here weren't as perfect as they remember themselves being at that age.

I always tell people that I remember what it's like to be a teenager because I have never had kids. It amazes me, really, how many people forget what it IS like to be a kid, to be a teenager. And almost all of those people are parents. And I suppose it is inevitable that raising a child or children and being forced to become responsible would make one forget what being a child or a teenager yourself was like.

"Your music is terrible, and too loud!" This has been said to teenagers for generations.

"Teenagers are just rude! They have no respect for anything!" This has been said for centuries.

My parent's generation fell in love with Elvis Presley and rock and roll, despite their parents' misgivings and warnings about it. And then that generation grew up, had kids.....and hated THEIR music.

I have said before and I'll say again that the older generation has looked down its nose at the younger generation for time immemorial, conveniently forgetting that not that long before, the older generation WAS the irreverent, disrespectful, frivolous, wasteful, insane, criminal, and rude generation themselves.

How quickly we forget.

Teenagers act out and overreact, and it is the nature of their elders to lose hope for the new generation. Happens every time, that the vast majority of them grow up. And then repeat it all over again with the next lot of teens...

Good to see I am not the only one who realizes that......