We're always being told that young people are cynical and apathetic, which of course isn't true. The teenage years are often a time of intense idealism.
Cynicism doesn't set in until later. I spent some time at St Andrew's College in Booterstown, Co Dublin, recently, meeting fifth- and sixth-year students involved in the Model United Nations and Model European Parliament.
Jordan Bourke, Jill Kavanagh, Kay O'Grady and Eoin Plunkett were very patient with me while I asked them the sort of questions you do when being a teenager is in your distant past.
To a man and a woman, they got on really well with their parents, they didn't do drugs, they were great communicators and - most importantly - they had a perspective on the world that would put many adults to shame. They could talk you through issues of human rights, disarmament and politics, child labour and the death penalty, child soldiers and the treatment of political prisoners. All this, and they weren't cynical.
One of the most important lessons that they learn in the Model UN is to put their personal beliefs aside, and argue their points from the perspective of the countries they are representing, be that Saudia Arabia, the Gambia or the Republic of Ireland. The several dozen schools who participate in the programme come from South America and Europe. They keep in touch over the Internet, then meet once a year for formal meetings.
Jordan and Jill both plan to do law at college. Kay is a dancer and Eoin Plunkett wants to be a psychologist. None would consider going into politics, unfortunately.
The question which made them most uncomfortable was not about alcohol or drugs or smoking, but the question of whether they were idealistic. None of them wanted to admit to it, since this is a rather lame stance to take. "We'd be slagged forever," said Jill.
Jill would never say that her parents knew best, but she does listen to them. She respects their decisions. Jordan says his parents trust him. Eoin said simply: "I respect my parents' experience. But it is our lives and if we want to screw them up, let us. Let us make mistakes." Wise words from an aspiring psychologist. Yes, parents, we do have to let them make mistakes, don't we?
