I remember one day when I first began college, I was utterly depressed because I just JUST been introduced to the world of drinking, smoking, sexaholic, alcoholic, womanzing MUSLIMS, and it burst my bubble of an ideal world (yes, it took college to do that for me lol).

On this day, my dad failed to understand why I was so traumatized, and I believe his words were, "What's the problem? I don't understand. I saw kids smoking in the bathroom when I was your age too. Kids do stuff, get over it."

I immediately felt better because I almost died laughing.

Case in point - my dad's experience growing up was far different from my own.

However, even having lived a sheltered youth, I feel I'm more aware of the demands of society on children these days (i.e. sex and babies at 12, drugs and murder being a norm, etc.) than was my father when it came to me.

Do you guys think we understand what the kids these days are going through, or do we have as significant an experience gap (i.e. as did my father with me)?