Here's a slightly different perspective from someone who has had kids who were twelve. And my kids, at twelve, were as smart, witty, mature, and articulate as people twice their age...and could have rivaled the brightest of the bright right here on BWW. But they were still twelve. Yes, there are kids like gavrochegirl (who I am sure I would find delightful in person) who are well-spoken and wise beyond their years. But folks, they (and she) are still preteens.
Now, in my perfect world, rather than a "student board", there would have be an old fart (or old hands, maybe) board. But the world isn't perfect. And while I'm not a real hardliner on board delineation, I'm with Chita in wondering why this particular post is on the Main Board instead of the OT board. And frankly, if it was on the OT board, I'd be wondering why it wasn't on the Student Board where she could bond with other precocious Piazza loving teens. (Although I would have probably wondered *that* in silence...) I've know dozens of kids who were old for their years, and who invariably thought the world saw them as adults. But you know what? Thirty year olds don't think 12 year olds are thirty...unless they have ulterior motives. And for damn sure, a 50 year old can spot the difference a mile away.
We've had this discussion before, and to be sure, I am going off on a bit of a tangent. But to pretend that all age groups are interchangeable is a slippery slope. All *people* are equal regardless of age, but socially... and on message boards, all ages are not equivalent...nor are they inherently intermixable.
My points (they are general and NOT aimed at gavrochegirl in particular), since I've rambled:
1) There is nothing inferior about being under 21 (or 18; or 13)...but one needs to appreciate that not all adults are going to be interested in listening to everything you have to say. Nor are they going to necessarily welcome you into adult-oriented threads and banter.
2) There is nothing inheretly wrong with being over 50 (or 40; or 60)...but one needs to appreciaate that not all younger people are going to be interested in hearing what you have learned from experience.
3) There is nothing wrong with an adult, such as Chita, who has not chosen to work with children or to procreate, to prefer minimal interaction with kids.
Sigh.
Ooops. Edited because I just realized that it is NOT on the Main Board anymore... C'est la vie.
Sueleen Gay: "Here you go, Bitch, now go make some fukcing lemonade." 10/28/10
Updated On: 8/13/05 at 08:25 PM
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