Thanks for that picture dustdevil.........! its beautiful. excuse me while I turn my head in the opposite direction.. I'm not going to lie and say that the picture doesn't gross me out, and that I'm a perfect example of a young first aider who can do anything and handle everything. Ok, I lied again. The picture doesn't gross me out... but If I saw that in real life then yes... i'd be a little (ok, more then a little) freaked out.
I feel like, although you do say otherwise, that there is a general dislike of youngens. Ok, maybe I'm being a bit one sided here because I know that things have been said along the lines of appreciating young involvement and interest in EMS, ect, however I do feel a huge and almost overwhelming "get the heck out of here" feeling. I do find this a bit puzzling, but I'm thinking it might be because I have no idea about what goes on in the states along the lines of volunteer services or 16/17 year old EMT-Bs. I know that if I wanted to be a paramedic in Canada, I wouldn't be able to do this until I was 20 simply because of the 2 years required for the college degree. wooohooo
Somehow somebody is always upset about the question of young people... whether it be the question of young people participating in ride alongs, or in cadet programs, or getting involved in the profession to early... I don't think everybody will ever be happy. Theres a big grey area when it comes to young people and their abilities, and of course the idea of us young people simply growing up too fast... and this grey area is perhaps why its such an issue. I shrug my shoulders. I don't know. I just get fustrated with all this back and forth.
....the anwser my friend, is blowing in the wind.... the anwser is blowing in the wind.
p.s., EMS49393... being young RULES... If I could live in neverland (as in, peter pan land... not MJ's house) I TOTALLY would. But, as this is not happening... well... I have no choice but to grow up...sort of.. it can wait for later. I'll tell you one thing, when I'm getting grey hair i'll still be young (at heart). Either that or I'll be hit with the grey hair at a young age gene that seems to live in my family in the next few years. I admire your ambition to build a smurf play house anyhow...