to think that actually most young people today

[Battlefront]

are way "nicer" than when I was young?

I went to a rough school and maybe it was unusual, but mass brawls were not uncommon. Other children were nasty to anyone who was good (or bad) at anything.

DS1 is at a very ordinary secondary and has some lovely friends. I went with him on Friday to take in a project that couldn't be easily transported on the bus. Numerous children (friends and passing acquaintances) called out to tell him how fantastic his work was. When I was at school it would have brought only ridicule, no matter how good it was.

He's very poor at sport, but rather than insulting him, his more sporty friends are full of encouragement when he does well for him (although still badly) and will find ways of including him that mean he's not embarrassed by his lack of ability.

Boys just don't fight like they did at my school.

It all gives me a very warm feeling and I get very cross when I hear the "young people today..."moans. Is my experience unusual?

What a lovely post :) I think you are right.

I think it depends on the area and the school tbh. My current school is exactly as you describe for your ds, the culture is very much that everyone is encouraged and all the pupils seem to want to do well.

My last school was very much as you described your own school. It was very rough, andybody who wanted to do well was ridiculed and huge fights broke out with alarming regularity, and that's before I even mention the trouble the pupils got into with the police.

So some young people are nicer than the ones you used to know, some are the same and some are worse. Much the same as every generation as far as I can tell.

I entirely agree. When I was at school fights were very common, they were arranged for break time,, fights with people from other schools were common too - after school on waste ground. I remember school as a very hostile environment - I went to 7 schools and they were all like that, even the posh ones.

Racism, homophobia much, much worse too. Bullying very common.

Now all the above is much more unacceptable and dd (at a very ordinary secondary) has none of those problems.

However the world outside feels more hostile to her - she feels threatened walking in town sometimes, she is unnerved by messages on the Internet occasionally.

I did not feel the world was hostile outside the house.

I think in all generations, there are loads of nice people (the vast majority IME) and then there are some that aren't so nice, and a tiny minority that are downright evil. I suspect it's always been the way and always will be.

I couldn't agree with you more!
I work in a high school in a deprived area which is considered fair game for anyone to slag off.
I wish that those people could spend an hour with the fantastic kids that I have the pleasure of spending my days with and see them for the supportive,considerate and thoughtful young people they really are (well most of them!!!)
My kids make going into work an absolute joy.

Oh I absolutely agree that there's good and bad in every generation, but I do think the "culture" among young people today is to be "nicer" than it was when I was young. The average is better iyswim and it's not "square" to be a good person the way I remember it being .

Really interesting post. I agree with you.

Fwiw I work in an inner London ethnically diverse sixth form and we see our fair share of socio-economic and cultural problems but, in general, I think most students I see really want to succeed and are very supportive of the achievement of others. However, many of them may say ' I want to get an A " but they don't, for many reasons, don't have the work ethic to get the higher grades. I don't think it's always about laziness - sometimes it's too many competing interests (an unsupportive family background, part time work, social networking).

I also think they seem harder, more self assured and disarmingly honest on the surface but hugely vulnerable once you look further.