It really depends. For example, I know a guy who lives down the street from me. Multi-millionaire. Has 15 cars in his garage, huge 3 level house, 40 acres. . the works. He grew up in a mobile home never having enough to eat and with an abusive father. I'd bet he wouldn't say that the best years of his life were his teen years!

I remember when I was in high school, I'd think back to jr. high and think about how great it was back then because it was so simple and fun compared to high school, which involved doing lots of math. Then I got to college and gee, high school seems simple now because now not only do I have to do lots of math, but I have to live on my own for 9 months out of the year. I bet when i graduate and become a lawyer, I'll look back on college and say THEY were my best years because now I have to deal with crazy crooks who can't stay out of jail. Then when I retire, I'll look back on middle age as the best years because I had something to keep me occupied.

My point is, most people I know, except the rich guy, look back at anothe rpoint in life and say that's the best time of your life, when in fact NO period is necessarilly the BEST time. It's all in what you make of it.











> I was babysitting a two-and-a-half year old that I'd been sitting since she was nine months and a question came to me. I noticed how little she could do for herself, though she desperately wanted to, and how the situation was more or less the same for her six-month-old brother, only with more dependance and less sentience. Then, there were the parents, both busy working or cleaning or walking the dog, so as to need a sitter. Now, I remembered the thread a bit back about 15 year olds or something, so I figure that there are a few out there. I'm 14, gonna be a sophomore, and I wanted your opinion-- are these truly the best years of our lives? It seems they should be-- no real responsibilities, nobody to care for, stuff like that, but we aren't completely reliant on elders anymore. I mean, I would likely die in the streets without my parents, but I don't have diapers, I can make my own food, and the money I make I can keep. Y'know. But then, there are also setbacks. Most real jobs aren't open to us. babysiting [my main occupation-- 5 days/week for one family] pays less than minimum wage. I think in a few years I'll be in the middle of what I'll remember as the 'good old days,' but I'm no sure how good they'll be. Between Honors homework, an hour-and-a-half-one-way busride to school, school itself, studying and everything else [minor things, like sleep], I have virtually no social life when school's in session. I'm not alone on this, either-- many of my friends (who, of course, I only see in school) are under similar circumstances. I took a Newsweek stress test. Normal for my age was about 14 out of 40. 40 was, like, dead. Out of school, a seven-- no prob. In school, 25. That's not normal for any age group.
> It seems my youth is spent preparing for my old age-- specifically college and, thus, a job. There is about one fun thing in my life.
> So, if you're in my boat, or you were, tell me:
> are these the best years?
>
> Hoping someday I'll learn to be shorter-winded, but it's not likely,
> Chris