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What Adults Don't Understand
February 15, 2009
My mom was reading one of the poems of this magazine the other day, and she did something that really irked me. She was reading a poem from the February issue, Nothing Like. When she was finnished reading, she let out a 'humph', like she didn't actually belive that "kids" like us could know what love is yet. Like love is only for responsible adults. Well let me say something right here and right now: By the time you are thirteen, you have probably been in love. There I said it. Now people can argue about it.
© Anonymous
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This article has 125 comments.
aread said...
on Jun. 20 2021 at 2:55 pm
YES i totally relate so much! I really feel that. The only person who gets to know or decide if or if your not in love is YOU!
I certainly haven't, and I'm 16. I think it's possible that some people can fall in love as a teenager, but 13? I didn't even know who I was at 13 how could I possibly have loved someone else? I hsve certainly met people who were 17 and in love, but I don't know I think until you are about 16 (unless you are an exception and there must be a few)you can't really be in love. Then again you can certainly love, love your family, love your friends etc.
fati said...
on Apr. 1 2016 at 9:33 am
i really agree
ThatGuy304 BRONZE said...
on Mar. 23 2016 at 9:19 am
I say some people at our age does know what love is, but a good chunk of them are blind to the fact that they don't see the full picture; who they think they love may not be the real them. I'm in the median about this.
mgr14 said...
on Dec. 3 2015 at 12:23 pm
@JesusandHisLawyers I disagree with you. I believe that some teenagers do have the maturity to understand what comes with "true love". Not all "kids" are selfish and I know quite a few of teenagers that most definitely do not have short attention spans. My 7 year old brother has a short attention span, yes, but not most teenagers I know. I am in high school and have friends who started dating their boyfriend/girlfriend during freshman year and stayed together all through the 4 years of school. They graduated about a year ago and are still together, now attending the same college. They respect one another and have the same undying love for God. If that's not true love, then I don't know what is.
SammieLoue GOLD said...
on Jun. 10 2015 at 7:41 pm
It is very true that teenagers can love, what you are forgetting is that there is more than one type of love. Do you love your parents or your siblings. What about your friends? Is there someone you would do anything to help hem, this is because you love them. to say that a teenager can not know what love is would be like saying that a fish cannot swim. I would also like to point out that while it is not often a teenager finds the woman or man that they love and might marry it is not impossible.
JesusandHisLawyers SILVER said...
on Dec. 14 2014 at 6:33 pm
Regardless of how in love with someone you are, it's simply a scientific fact that teenagers (13-19) do not have brains that are developed enough to a) make fully informed decisions, b) make long term emotional committments, and c) maintain healthy emotional/romantic relationships. This is reflected in all marriage statistics, brain development studies, and basially any and all info you can find on the matter.
Can teenagers be in love? Sure, but so can children and we don't expect them to maintain long term, emotionally beneficial, healthy romantic relationshops.
Can teenagers be in love? Sure, but so can children and we don't expect them to maintain long term, emotionally beneficial, healthy romantic relationshops.
I agree and disagree with this statement. For one, yes many people are like this. I know a bunch of girls my age and guys that play with eachothers hearts, and claim to know what love it. But here were I dissagree. Not all teens are like this. Most, but not all. Love can come at anytime, any moment, any place, as humans its not our job to say if someone understands love or dosent, because love comes when it chooses.
Sky_Sprinkles24 BRONZE said...
on Sep. 27 2014 at 10:06 am
Parents just don't understand.
JesusandHisLawyers SILVER said...
on May. 26 2014 at 7:06 pm
You know it's over when you start agreeing with the parents: but your mother is correct. Teenagers don't have the maturity to understand the kind of commitment that comes with "true love" or whatever wishy-washy romantic term you want to use for it. Kids are selfish and posses very short attention spams, the next shiny new thing comes along, and they're in love all over again.
beoptimistic BRONZE said...
on Sep. 29 2013 at 8:56 pm
this is perfect. preach it
hayliebean GOLD said...
on Sep. 17 2013 at 10:45 am
I think that everyone is different. Some people have a hard time loving or feeling love, while others may love too easily. So, no I don't think that everyone who is thirteen has been in love, but some probably have. I am one of those people who tends to love too easily.
While I agree with this for the most part, I also think that it's not entirely true.
It is totally unfair for someone (adult or otherwise) to tell anyone else (any age) that they've never been in love, and/or are too young to have been in love, it is true that as you get older, being in love means something different.
WHile it is entirely possible, and even probable that almost everyone has been in love by the time they are thirteen, being in love when you're 13 is completely different than being in love when your 16.
But, also, age doesn't neccesarily have anything to do with it. I think love changes every time you fall in love.
Of course I can only speak from my experience, and I'm not saying that you can't be in love when you're nine or thirteen. I know when I was nine I said I was in love with a boy, but that was a completely different thing than when I fell in love when I was 16.
I really like this article, though. It makes your point very well and is very well written! :)
It is totally unfair for someone (adult or otherwise) to tell anyone else (any age) that they've never been in love, and/or are too young to have been in love, it is true that as you get older, being in love means something different.
WHile it is entirely possible, and even probable that almost everyone has been in love by the time they are thirteen, being in love when you're 13 is completely different than being in love when your 16.
But, also, age doesn't neccesarily have anything to do with it. I think love changes every time you fall in love.
Of course I can only speak from my experience, and I'm not saying that you can't be in love when you're nine or thirteen. I know when I was nine I said I was in love with a boy, but that was a completely different thing than when I fell in love when I was 16.
I really like this article, though. It makes your point very well and is very well written! :)
Wings10FeetTall GOLD said...
on Apr. 30 2013 at 10:39 am
I agree with you.
lizzi_420 said...
on Mar. 19 2013 at 5:43 pm
you are so right
Kayla_Guthrie GOLD said...
on Jan. 28 2013 at 10:12 am
I agree with you.
Kayla_Guthrie GOLD said...
on Jan. 28 2013 at 10:09 am
The thing is all adult were our age once and fell in love at a young age. So I personally think that they shouldn't yap at us about it. I believe that the mass majoity of today's youth is not going to end up like Romeo and Juliet.
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