"Teenager" an unfair modern label - part 1

Where did the word teenager really come from? What do people expect from teenagers?

I have lately asked myself these questions about teenagers and what is really expected from me, besides preparing for my Prince Charming. So I started reading the book Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris, I'd thought I'd share what I've learned from the book so far.

I'm sure you all have heard someone in your family say, "Oh she's (or he's) a teenager, she (or he) will be fine." I know I've heard it, from my own family (extended), and from afar. People in our society think that since we're teenagers we're old enough to do what ever we want to do, but the word teenager doesn't mean anything, it is simply just a term. As I was reading I came across a pop quiz that I had no clue what the answer was. Thought I'd test you and see if you can guess the answer.

The first documented use of the word teenager was:

(a) Tyndale's first edition English New Testament in 1526.

(b) Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet in 1623.

(c) Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard's Almanac in 1739.

(d) Theodore Roosevelt's Strenuous Life speech in 1899.

(e) A Reader's Digest issue in 1941.

(f) Alex and Brett made it up for their book.

(This quiz was taken from the book Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris)

The answer in (e). It' hard for me to believe that the term teenager has been around for about seventy years. I read on interested to see where they were going with the quiz. Then I came across the verse below:

"When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things."

1 Corinthians 13 : 11

Notice the verse doesn't say:

"but then I became a teenager and I looked like an adult, I sounded like an adult, but I still acted like a child."

This astounded me, I had never taken into account that when the Bible talks to the younger adults, it just mentions youth. The Bible doesn't mention the word teenager.

As I kept reading I came across a schedule that preteens and younger teens (10 -14) are supposed to follow.

• Make your bed every day.
• be able to take a message on the phone
• clean your room every week (with help from mom and dad)

Then Brett and Alex gave a list that the older teens (15 +) are supposed to follow.

• do a daily chore [ just one], like taking out the trash
• make sure the gas gauge stays above a quarter of a tank
• clean your room every week (with no help from mom and dad)

(these lists were taken from the book Do Hard Things by Alex and Brett Harris)

Teenager is a word that our society created because the society we live in today doesn't expect much out of teenagers, they tell us to grow-up, but still act like a kid. I look back to the days when my great, great grandparents were my age. They were supposed to watch their younger siblings, cook dinner when their mother was away, the men were able to find a job at the age thirteen, and they were allowed to get married at thirteen or fourteen! That's because their society expected more from the youth back in those days. Today in our society people would look at me like I was some kind of freak, if I were to get married at thirteen or fourteen.

I guess what I'm trying to say is that our society has labeled the youth unfairly, and that they have stopped expecting a whole lot from us.

I absolutely recommend this book, it is VERY appropriate.

In His everlasting love,

Ali