Kids Are Onto Us: Adulthood Is No Fun

There is a paperback copy of Twain's Tom Sawyer hanging out on the coffee table these days. Momentarily intrigued I picked it up and read the famous " white wash" chapter in which Tom tricks his friends into helping him paint Aunt Polly's fence.

Unlike Tom, a modern day kid wouldn't be able to fool anyone into helping. On a warm summer day like the one that Aunt Polly chooses for white washing the fence there wouldn't be a kid over the age of four within a mile. A modern-day Tom would be at archery lessons and Becky would be away at dance camp.

There are always new studies and plenty of commentary about the increasing length of childhood and adolescence. What I've not seen anyone say is this: adulthood sucks.

Of course today's kids delay taking on adulthood for as long as possible--it's no fun and there are few rewards. Voting? Meh... "adult films"...another meh...already seen it on YouTube.. Driving? Many kids in this town don't bother to even get a permit. They're content to walk or get a ride with someone else's parent.

Freedom doesn't seem to appeal much either. Most kids I know pretty come and go as they please and they usually have all the consumer goods they want or "need".

They have no illusions about the advantages of adulthood. None of these kids would fall for Tom Sawyer's "white wash" trick today unless they were in on the joke or decided that it would be kind of "retro." Nope, today Aunt Polly would be white washing that fence all by herself.

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