Kid Cool, Adult Cool
Posted: November 4th, 2019, 9:17 pm
Not sure where it originated, but one tip I use with our kids (9 and 12) is to play the game of 'kid cool, adult cool', e.g.:
'Kid cool' is to mess around at school, play truant, laze around, smoke/vape, tease and bully for status, etc.
'Adult cool' is to travel, have a nice job, house, a good car, be healthy, wealthy, have friendships, etc.
It started out as a way to gently point out that the things (some) kids do to be 'kid cool' are not in their best interests when it comes to becoming 'adult cool' - e.g. messing around at school -> poor grades -> worse job prospects -> less adult cool.
Over time though they have internalised it and occasionally point out 'kid cool' when they see some teenager trying to act 'big' to satisfy their insecurities. It's not to be judgemental or obnoxious, but just a gentle way of making them think about the consequences of trying to emulate kids who fancy themselves as 'cool'.
'Kid cool' is to mess around at school, play truant, laze around, smoke/vape, tease and bully for status, etc.
'Adult cool' is to travel, have a nice job, house, a good car, be healthy, wealthy, have friendships, etc.
It started out as a way to gently point out that the things (some) kids do to be 'kid cool' are not in their best interests when it comes to becoming 'adult cool' - e.g. messing around at school -> poor grades -> worse job prospects -> less adult cool.
Over time though they have internalised it and occasionally point out 'kid cool' when they see some teenager trying to act 'big' to satisfy their insecurities. It's not to be judgemental or obnoxious, but just a gentle way of making them think about the consequences of trying to emulate kids who fancy themselves as 'cool'.
