I was working as a flight instructor in my early 20's. I'd occasionally get "So, how long have you been...flying?" from new students I was meeting for the first time. "Oh, since about 9 this morning" was my usual response.

That shit usually stopped after about 20 minutes in the air. They'd try level turns or even leveling off at altitude and slosh all over the sky, then I'd hook a pinkie on the stick* and the plane would magically straighten right out. You could feel the moment they realized "Oh, this kid genuinely is qualified for this job," and man was that satisfying. Youth does not equal useless.

*This plane had a single stick in between the seats, and for training an extension would be added above the grip so the student and instructor can hold the controls at the same time. It meant if I touched the stick students usually saw me do it.

all this bullshit about taking their phones away...they have to wake up at 7am for school and be there all day, they can't even have one bit of joy? they can't do banter during class or record a lecture or look stuff up? why are we acting like school has to be strict because it has to seem strict

Bet, I think that's a really good point and a crucial reminder for some people.

I am gonna need 15 year olds to be 33% less annoying, though, in return. I mean, I was incredibly annoying at 15 and I get it's hard not to be but goddamn meet me part way here

I thought like this when I was 15.

Then in my twenties looking back at how I acted when I was a teen I thought "I was really dumb as a kid, I wish I had more supervision from a responsible adult."

Now in my thirties looking back at how I acted when I was in my twenties I think "I was really dumb as a kid, I wish I had more supervision from a responsible adult."

Was that supposed to stop after 15?

Because as a woman-type creature, that’s has been the whole life experience so far…

And I’m more than twice that age now..

So. I was raised by a domestic violence lawyer. She was always really passionate about her job, about fighting abuse.

When I was in middle school, I was abused myself. A teacher. I knew what was happening. I knew what they said to do about - tell a trusted adult. They would know what to do.

My mother, the domestic violence lawyer, always so passionate about stopping abuse. She didn't believe me. I was just a dumb kid, and kids make things up all the time.

I realized there's not much a kid can do to protect themself. "Tell a trusted adult" is the solution, not because adults are more responsible, but because they actually have fucking rights. If an adult has a bad job, they can get up and quit. If I tried to walk away from school, I'd be beaten.

None of the adults wanted to listen to me, so what could I do? Jack fucking shit. I had that teacher for three years until I moved on to high school. I still have the trauma.

Treat kids like people. I don't want to hear any of this shit about how stupid they are. They know more about their own life experience than you do. Listen to them

I remember being 15. That's why I'm alright with treating 15-yos as idiot kids

I get compliments on my kids behavior so often. People beg me for my secrets. It's simple. I have treated them with respect as an individual person since day one. We only use our words to communicate and we never raise our voices. We apologize when we make mistakes and make it right. We talk about our feelings and work towards compromise. All these rules apply to kids and adults equally.

I grew up with spankings and being told "I'll give you something to cry about if you don't shape up" and "just do as you're told, no questions". I won't repeat those behaviors.

People are always surprised in a good way when kids like me so much and quickly.

It is not hard, I just treat them like a real person, I respect them and actively listen to them.

Kids are so much smarter than people give them credit for and it is not hard to do.

Kids seem to very quickly run you over if you treat them like people unless they think you're cool AF.

reading this has the weird sensation of being brainwashed into a cult