Recently, I had the opportunity to spend some time with two interesting and quite different French teenagers, both of whom are at the very particular age of 14. I have known Mateo, above, for a few years now as he the son of one of Remi’s closest friends. Each time that they come down to Provence for a visit, I see Mat’s mind opening with leaps and bounds. He is already a consummate Parisian with impeccable manners, his own “look” and a wide grasp of current culture. He is a willing conversationalist with very specific points of view, including a strong argument that his particular generation is not as deeply impacted by the violence present in video games as we adults might think.
One of the highlights of Mat and his Dad’s visit this summer was a picnic held at our secret church. The day was blistering but that didn’t prevent us from having a wonderful time. It says a lot about Mat that he is not the kind of ado that will whine about being bored, he takes his time into his own hands. So while we chattered on and on, he asked if he could borrow my camera and went on a photo hunt. Below are two that he took, which I wanted to share as it was lovely to discover where his eye roamed.
Unfortunately, Mat headed back up north the day before Loïc’s arrival, so they weren’t able to meet.
Also from la région parisienne, Loïc was vacationing en famille with an old friend of ours. He is quiet and discreet, yet I was quickly impressed by his attentiveness towards his younger Sister, Julie as well as his lack of hesitation in asking questions on subjects that were new to him. I also could call him “The Dog Whisperer” for his excellent connection with animals. Ben was certainly completely charmed by him, answered his call and followed him wherever he went.
Perhaps because Remi and I don’t have children ourselves, I find such meetings edifying, a means to touch base with a youth that is quite different from what I experienced. Of course, some aspects are not surprising–Mat and Loïc both have an ease regarding their near constant connection with the virtual world, one which they can take or leave unobtrusively, without any show or pretension. But what marked me the most was how serious they both are about their futures. Yes, at 14. Both admitted that due to the fact that we are in such shaky times financially, they will need to have specific career plans and have already taken solid steps in moving towards their perspective choices. Impressive, isn’t it? I sincerely hope that both of them have bright futures ahead.
So, any thoughts from my friends around the world about our youth today?
What a really important point and one that had escaped me entirely: the historical context of their youth. Of course. And yes, I also really admire the assuredness of their points of view. I suppose they don't have a choice, do they? They have to know where they stand in light of current events and the never ending shifts.
Merci et Bon Weekend,
H
KIds! Or children as my mother would say… she always rebukes me for saying that… 'they are not baby goats'…
Anyway… what I want to say is that children, mine and their friends, never cease to amaze me. They are so much more sure of themselves, worldly and responsible than I ever was. They have grown up in a very different time to the golden age I lived in. My children have witnessed Sept 11, survived terror attacks in London, understand the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan.. and now have to make a future in the uncertain economic times after the GFC…
This generation plays hard… yes they are social media demons and run their lives as fast as their fingers can type… but they are accomplished and successful human beings… These children seems to know their own minds… and that is what I admire.
Great post Heather… xv
P.S….Heather? I may have been only 24, but I was nobody's fool…and I wanted/needed that job…for a while at least ( know the feeling from your actress-days?). I did, quite honestly, LIKE that quotation from Eliot, but I should admit that I'm not the sort of person who even HAS "favorite quotations" (even at that age, I'd read and memorized too much to go around picking "favorites").
The final fact is that the quotation is one of Eliot's loveliest and wisest lines….and I chose it because I was fairly sure (having been scouting-out the headmaster as surely as he was scouting-out me) that he wouldn't have previously heard it, but would love it. I was right. Good thing…since my truck had just died, I needed to buy a new one, and I got the job. To my surprise, I liked the job.
For better or worse, I'm a tiny-bit less fiercely manipulative these days.
—-david terry
Like you we don't have children, but we are blessed to live in a small cul de sac of four homes, each of the other three with two children – the oldest is 11 and the youngest 4. They all are charming — they can be the usual ruffians – but when all simmers down, their heads are pointing in the right direction. Between the two you describe and the six we know intimately, I think the future is looking very bright for us all!
That quote was most certainly worthy of a job offer, David.
Looks like we were visiting each other's blogs at the exact same time! How do you like them apples? And yep, maybe it is something about being 14 and not 17 but these guys both were engaged and present.
Welcome back to France!!!
Oh, yes….as I said, he was a very good man and a fine headmaster….just as concerned with showing his faculty how to become good teachers as he was with formally educating adolescent boys.
He hired me after asking me (a 24 year-old, unemployed English major who really wasn't qualified for the job) what my favorite quotation was. I considered that an odd question.
I told him it was written by the novelist George Eliot:
"It is never too late to be what you might have been."
I was answering truthfully, by the way….and he gave me my first job, which I loved.
—david terry
Don't you just love it when a teenager impresses you with their ability to see beyond themselves (and facebook!), are interested in conversation, and take initiative? I thought cool teenagers were a dying breed…especially French teens! Good to see I was wrong!
I love all of your stories, David, you know that. And yes, oooh what valid experience you and your Grandmother both had. Remi put himself through law school while working at the internat, so he has a similar point of view. For me, I can honestly say that I have zero experience with children or teenagers so moments of coming into contact with them is always one of "finding my way as I go."
And I especially appreciate the head-masters first bit of advice, one applicable to much in life it would seem…
Four boys Sharon!! You are an expert then. 🙂 And what you mentioned was exactly what I was trying to express regarding Mat's thoughts about video games. It is hard for someone like myself to even comprehend but their sense of realities is so different than what ours was.
Wishing you a wonderful weekend as well!