Relating to teenagers

I had my orthodontist appointment today and my doctor told me that in three weeks I will have my braces completely off. This is very exciting to me to have a nice smile, and to be done with the metal in my mouth. It has definitely been an interesting experience having braces as an adult because I've been looked at as a teenager. I work in a high school and I've been asked where I was going, why I was late to class, and where my pass was!

On the flip side, it has also been something to relate to the teenagers with. I was fearful the day I got them on because of experiencing metal mouth as an adult working in a high school setting. If the kids said anything to me, it's not that I would really care, but in some sense, I thought I would. To be honest, not ONE kid said anything to me when the braces first went on. Then eventually, little by little, it became a conversation piece. Teenagers WITH braces would ask how long I had to have them on for, we would discuss complaints because of the braces, etc. We were sympathetic TOWARDS each other but not ONCE did any of them make a comment about me wearing them as an adult or even tease me in a fun way. All the ADULTS did that.

When I started school up again in August, I had already had the top row off by then. Lots of kids made comments about the fact they were off and even told me I had a nice smile. I just found it interesting to relate to teenagers over something so silly and how they were actually sympathetic as opposed to even friendly banter about them.

It's funny the kinds of things you can relate over.