Do you stereotype? Teens especially?

[Disney1fan2002]

One of my nephews, I was not that close to as he grew up. He lived in the same town as me, with his mom, but my brother was divorced from them and the kids did not like to be dragged to any family party. We still included SIL and boys in everything, the boys just kept a distance.

Anyway, the older one was a real goth/skateboard kid. He would dress all in black, and even paint his fingernails black. He skateboarded all over town. I used to get so sad seeing him. Thinking my SIL had no control over him, and he must be the biggest punk. He graduated from HS in 2002, and I went to his party. To this day, I am ashamed of how I saw him, because he IS a GREAT kid, who graduated SECOND in his class!!!! He dropped the goth stuff, but he is still an amazing skateboarder. He actually is a legend with the kids today. LOL.

So, now, I really try not to judge teens who happen to dress grungy, have multiple piercings, or crazy hair.

 

[lisajl]

I don't judge the "Goth" kids, because my DD liked it for a while. She is 20 and now loves all things Japanese, including anime.

Now, with that said, I do judge young ladies whose shorts are a bit short, and shirts are barely there.
I saw a young lady wearing this type of outfit on Monday near the 5th/6th grade school. She could not have been more than 15. I'm glad my 12 year old had not gotten out of school yet, he would have gotten an eyeful!

I also tend to judge the "Cheerleader" type. My DD and I saw a bunch of them, I think they travel in packs! LOL!! They were all blonde, all wore the same type of clothes, had no individuality at all. I guess I felt a bit sad that they felt they had to follow some "code". Could not be themselves. I know, I don't know them, but to look the same, dress the same, it just seems sad.
Be yourself, girls! But please, put some clothes on!!

Lisa

 

[Mickey Mouse Kid]

I do not stereotype people because I always think, "I don't know what they are really like." I use to dress in the darker clothes, but I'm out of that also and one of my favorite stores is Hollister.

 

[Evil Queen]

I try not to, but I know I have.

My older son did the goth, the hair coloring, tattoos, etc. But he is a great person, kind and sensitive.

I'm glad he got to "express" himself, and that I didn't judge or try to stop him. Plus, I think not getting any reaction out of me, made him lose his interest in these things a bit quicker.

 

[NMAmy]

No, I think most teenagers go through some weird phases when they're trying on different identities. A lot of people don't try too hard to get to know teenagers--heaven knows they can be masters of the monosyllabic answer. I keep asking open ended questions so they have to answer me and try to find a common ground. I've met some scarey looking teens who LOVE Disney World and will talk your ear off about it once you get them started.

 

[froglady]

I try not to stereotype younger people, especially those who don't stereotype ME.

 

[AnaheimGirl]

No. When I was in high school, I was the kid in black clothes (sometimes with really obnoxious sayings on them), black fingernail polish, black lipstick, and wierd hairstyles that changed every day. Of course, it wasn't called goth back then.

I was not second in my class (way to go, nephew!) but I was a nearly-straight A student and generally a pretty good kid.

 

[Tigger&Belle]

I sure try not to, especially when it's based on their looks. I did the other day, though (but not based on looks). I was going to my son's t-ball game at a middle school and had to walk past the basketball courts to go to the back of the school. There were a bunch of teens playing basketball, which wasn't a problem, but there were also a big bunch on the pavement hanging out and they would not move to let people through, so I had to weave in and out through them, with them staring as if nobody has ever passed through there before. Come to find out, they were the same way with other parents. So yes, I did wonder what the teens were up to and wonder why they were so rude.

The reality is they were probably ok kids who were just hanging out, but I know if I saw my son not moving out of the way and making a path I'd sure explain that it's rude behavior (no parents were there, so I don't mean that there was someone there to speak up and tell the kids to move).

I see all kinds of kids at the high school where my son goes to and their dress doesn't shock or bother me. As long as the kids themselves are polite and respectful, I don't care what they are wearing (yes, I do prefer the girls to cover certain body parts and I don't like it when the boy's pants are falling off).

 

[Mandabella]

Everyone stereotypes whether they want to admit it or not. I'm no exception.

I try my best not to of course, but at times I catch myself thinking something about someone I don't know all that well. Later on...I'm either pleasantly surprised I was wrong or my negative feelings get confirmed.

Goth kids don't phase me since I was friends with some in High School.

 

[ozarkmom]

I really try not to because my dd almost 16 has been through more looks than I can count. I remember the first time I ever stepped into a Hot Topic store I was somewhat shocked by how some of the clerks looked then I discovered that these young people were some of the most polite, and friendly sales clerks I had ever seen!

 

[Mickey Mouse Kid]

I really try not to because my dd almost 16 has been through more looks than I can count. I remember the first time I ever stepped into a Hot Topic store I was somewhat shocked by how some of the clerks looked then I discovered that these young people were some of the most polite, and friendly sales clerks I had ever seen!

That is how the workers at the Hot Topic here are like (except sometimes the old manager lady seems grouchy, lol).
Sometimes someone at school will say something about the store and howit looks scary. But once you walk in, the workers always greet you nicely.. and they will just talk and talk toyou also.

 

[Cindy B]

PS--Hot topic is for poseurs! Hot Topic is the I want to be punk but I'm still buying stuff at the mall store. True punk makes their own clothes, salvages at the goodwill or creates thier own clothes. Hot Topic is the mainstream idea of punk not true punk style... Hot Topic is about as punk as Greenday and old Avril Lavigne! (which is to say, not very!)


Since I was the one with blue hair multiple piercings and one time even a shaved head... I got looks! Black nail polish/clothes were for poseurs!-- I was the real McCoy!

I graduated high school with honors and had perfect attendance all four years!


I now teach at a high school. I admit it, I have a soft spot for the misfit kids. They don't bother me, and I love thier style. They don't scare me or intimidate me.

We also have a growing African American/Latino population here in our suburban town. Some people, (note I said some) don't like this. Again, the Latino/AA students don't bother me either. Some teachers are scared of them and thier looks/atittudes, again it didn't bother me!

 

[Kitty 34]

Junior High kids are my favorite to teach and I really hope I don't judge them at all. It's amazing how the same many of them are even those their "coats" are different.

 

[Brutie]

Sadly, I do. I'd be lying if I said I didnt. I forgot what it was that we saw some kids doing last week or week before we said something like "dang kids" or something along those lines. Then I told hubby, well we did the same thing when we were that age, so its no different. Though I never knew anyone who brought a gun to school. I just dont get that whole "bring a gun to school and shoot people way of thinking".

 

[KarenB]

Yeah, I think I did stereotype teens until my two DSs becames teens. I really do enjoy this age and I have much more tolerance and understanding for this age group than I did before having teenage children.

Oh and about the Hot Topic employees-I will have to say that anytime I have ever been in our local Hot Topic store, the employees have been very kind, helpful, friendly, corteous, and professional. I am always impressed with them.

 

[tar heel]

My son works at Hot Topic. He's there for diversity -- he has no piercings or tatoos. He also has his own style. He does have hair (blond) that hangs in his face and wears his jeans and Tshirts tight, though. He's an interesting kid -- the best artist in the senior class (according to the Fine Arts chair), the singer/front man for a band AND a varsity athlete. His friends include some pretty strange looking kids and the preppiest people in the school. I'm not wild about the way he looks at the moment b/c he's playing down his good looks IMO, but this is such a small part of who he really is.

 

[tiff13]

I don't judge anybody until I know them. Im constantly stereotyped as the wreckless and unruly "boarder". Yes I snowboard, wakeboard, ski, etc; but I don't drink, smoke cigs, or dope. I have better things to spend my money and time on. So I'de really appreciate it if people would be more open minded, but I doubt that day will ever come. Seriously, the "strangiest" people always turn out to be the most chill.

 

[FayeW]

Do I stereotype teens based on their appearance? Absolutely! I'm not particularily proud of it, but it's the truth. I think what I judge most is not the appearance, per se, but the total lack of judgement it displays. When I see kids decked out in the goth/punk style with those ridiculous clothes and hairdo's, and the outrageous piercings, I think to myself "There goes somebody with absolutely no common sense". If I was an employer interviewing some of these kids for a job, I wouldn't take them very seriously as I think going out in public looking like that is just using poor judgement, and I wouldn't trust them to use any better judgement as an employee.

As a parent, I want my kids to have a healthy sense of individuality, but I am also teaching them that they have to "own" their personal choices. The reality is, the world DOES judge a book by it's cover and if they choose to dress in a way that offends conventional society then they will have to suffer the consequences, and the prejudice, that goes a long with "expressing themselves".

I know my response may not be popular, but I think I represent a larger segment of society than some would care to admit.