I think adults have no reason to not take most kids seriously. I have been under estimated many times before but I understand why we aren't taken seriously. I think it is the fault of certain kids who do not obey the rules and therefore set a bad stereotype for all kids of that age!

For example there are some kids at our school who do drugs and others who steal. This is known to most grown-ups and it makes it appear that any kid of my age is a druggie or a thief. That means that when I go into a store I can't take my school bag with me. This also means that if I am out at a social event somewhere I can't stay out too long or with out having a curfew. I really found this annoying when I was a younger kid. I didn't understand why it was so.

Now my problems are gone. I have gained the trust of my parents on countless occasions and am seen as responsible in their eyes. If I want to I can stay out as late as I want. I can have as many friends over as I want. I even get listened to and my opinions of things are taken into consideration. Still, how do I prove myself to store workers who don't know me at all? I can't! The only way to solve their problem is to make us keep our book bags at the door. It could be worse. They could make it so that we can't even go in their stores. There is no way to solve our problem, at least not one that I can see.

The thing is I don't actually see this as a problem. I can live with leaving my things at the door because I understand why I have to leave my things at the door. I don't see how some kids can complain about things like that. Really a lot of the complainers don't think about any one but themselves. For example people say, "Well I've never stolen anything in my life why should I not be able to bring my bags in this store." The thing is nobody says that they think that you might be a thief but the fact of the matter is, there is a possibility there is someone who would steal if he didn't need to leave his things at the door.

I don't blame adults for not trusting kids my age they have no reason to trust a person they have never met and have no idea of the person's history. Besides it is always a possibility that someone might without planning to do something (like drinking and driving) would drink and drive if given the chance. I do believe it is a necessity that kids have the trust of their own parents and that they have a good relationship where they can trust one another. A parent does have a right in some ways to protect their children and if that means that they have to make rules that make the child feel he is not trusted it is okay. The child should realize in the end that this too shall pass.