Kids Of The Future

A Story by Kathryn Smith

Look ahead the past is behind you

It all started when I got a graduation party card in the mail from and for my best childhood friends.

I feel so old! I can't believe they are graduating high school already.

Many memories of my childhood flashed back...and suddenly my richest memories of my early tween/teenage years hit me.

It made me think about today's tweens and teens and how much has changed.

The tween and teen years are our very last years before adulthood.

They are some of the hardest years of life but reminiscing on mine always make me smile.

My years before adulthood were filled with music from three specific people.

Every girl at some point in her life falls in love with a boy band.

My band was a band that consisted of three brothers: Keven, Joe and Nick Jonas.

Otherwise known as The Jonas Brothers.

Sure, I have to admit it's a little embarrassing and amusing looking back at how much I adored and obsessed over those boys.

But music has always been what kept and still keeps me going.

It all started with a Disney film called "Meet The Robinsons"

The Jonas brothers gave their time and music to the soundtrack for the movie.

Ironically, the song they covered/recreated was called "Kids Of The Future."

I found and watched their music video over and over, immersed in this new treasure and excited with all those crazy new feelings a girl just hitting puberty is hit with.

I knew this band was about to be a big part of my future...and I was right.

As a young girl drowning in that crazy mess, there is nothing more magical than discovering a boy.

Let alone 3 boys.

Boys who look good AND can sing, play guitar, drums, and the piano.

How else would boy bands be so successful?

Before my eager eyes could blink my bedroom walls became plastered with posters of them.

I was a non stop fangirling mess and I drove my family and friends absolutely nuts.

My cousin Heather was trying to break into the business during my Jonas Brother years. She did fairly well in Hollywood and ended up in one of their music videos.

I just re watched it and it's still so surreal to me!

I eventually got to see Kevin, Joe, and Nick live for my 15th Birthday in Illinois.

Later I saw them again for my 16th Birthday and once again a year later for my 17th Birthday.

There isn't anything quite like an arena full of screaming girls.

The sheer panic/excitement you feel when your idols emerge on stage is indescribable.

I was never one of those girls that hysterically screamed and cried uncontrollably, but I almost felt as if I was going to lose it when I got a wave from Joe.

The years of The Jonas Brothers were the best.

Everything was so simple.

Puppy love was real love.

I still had the wonder of a child even though I was slowly changing.

Back then celebrities you didn’t know totally counted as boyfriends.

I enjoyed watching them skyrocket into success and then eventually quiet down.

I believe the era of the early 2000s was the last time boy band music would sound decent.

The songs back then weren't all about sex.

They had a solid foundation of creativity.

The lyrics didn’t repeat themselves in an agonizing way.

Digging even deeper and going back years before, the kings of boy bands; The Backstreet boys, even had a great creativity flow of lyrics and meaning.

Fast forward to today, and we've got One Direction and 5 Seconds of Summer.

I'm not going to hate on them...but music and the tween/teen world has definitely evolved.

I took some time to re listen to The Jonas Brothers recently, and the nostalgia was nothing but warm and fuzzy. Great memories and vivid colorful memories.

To the kids of the future: Enjoy your boy bands. Enjoy the music and simplicity of life. Embrace your tween/teen years. You'll pull through! Even though you might feel awkward and might go mad from your changing world, this is the end of your childhood.

These are your final years before the crazy world of adulthood hit you across the head.

lastly to The Jonas Brothers, Kevin, Joe, and Nick.

Thank you.

Thank you for making some of the harder years of life the best years of life!

Rock on! I learned a lot from you three.