What’s the happiest time in people’s lives: youth or old age; school, career or retirement? All of these have been suggested, but teenage years and adulthood both have many supporters.
Those who believe teenagers are the happiest people cite their lack of responsibilities as a significant factor. They are supported financially and emotionally by their parents, and although they may be included in family decisions, they’re not ultimately responsible. However, adolescents are on the threshold of adult life: they’re old enough to get a part-time job, so they can enjoy their first taste of financial independence, and their future study and career lie ahead.
Away from these serious concerns, young people have an active social life with their friends, often simply by hanging out with them. And of course, there’s the excitement of first love and first heartbreak. With all this to experience, teenagers see their parents’ lives as boring and stressful.
However, the reverse is also true. Adults see anxious, self-dramatising adolescents, and appreciate the joys of maturity. These may include a contented family life, long-lasting friendships and a career. Long-term relationships may not have the fireworks of adolescence, but are stronger for it, because of the wealth of shared experience. At work, many of us are challenged and stimulated by the increasing professional skills we acquire, which ensures that our jobs remain interesting.
The greatest benefit, though, is that maturity gives you greater confidence in your own judgement, in all areas of life. You’re not afraid to express your opinion when others disagree and, unlike a teenager, you know when to let things go.
Both these periods can be happy times, but I look back at my own teenage years with no desire to go back. Adult life may be less dramatic, but fireworks don’t keep you warm.
What’s the happiest time in
people
’s
lives
: youth or
old
age; school, career or retirement? All of these have
been suggested
,
but
teenage years and adulthood both have
many
supporters.
Those who believe
teenagers
are the happiest
people
cite their lack of responsibilities as a significant factor. They
are supported
financially
and
emotionally
by their parents, and although they may
be included
in family decisions, they’re not
ultimately
responsible.
However
, adolescents are on the threshold of adult
life
: they’re
old
enough
to
get
a part-time job,
so
they can enjoy their
first
taste of financial independence, and their future study and career lie ahead.
Away from these serious concerns, young
people
have an active social
life
with their friends,
often
simply
by hanging out with them. And
of course
, there’s the excitement of
first
love
and
first
heartbreak. With all this to experience,
teenagers
see
their parents’
lives
as boring and stressful.
However
, the reverse is
also
true. Adults
see
anxious,
self-dramatising
adolescents, and appreciate the joys of maturity. These may include a contented family
life
, long-lasting friendships and a career. Long-term relationships may not have the fireworks of adolescence,
but
are stronger for it,
because
of the wealth of shared experience. At work,
many
of us
are challenged
and stimulated by the increasing professional
skills
we acquire, which ensures that our jobs remain interesting.
The greatest benefit, though, is that maturity gives you greater confidence in your
own
judgement, in all areas of
life
. You’re not afraid to express your opinion when others disagree and, unlike a
teenager
, you know when to
let
things go.
Both these periods can be happy times,
but
I look back at my
own
teenage years with no desire to go back. Adult
life
may be less dramatic,
but
fireworks don’t
keep
you warm.