The cliche had it that kids were the future, but that wasn't it: they were the unreflective, active present. They were not themselves nostalgic, because they couldn't be, and they retarded nostalgia in their parents. Even as they were getting sick and being bullied and becoming addicted to heroin and getting pregnant, they were in the moment, and she wanted to be in it with them. She wanted to worry herself sick about schools and bullying and drugs.
The narrative challenges the common belief that children represent the future, suggesting instead that they embody the immediate reality of life. Their experiences, often marked by challenges like illness, bullying, or addiction, form a stark contrast to the nostalgic reflections of adults. Children, being fully immersed in the present, inadvertently push their parents away from feelings of nostalgia, as parents become preoccupied with the trials their kids face.
This presence in the moment motivates the narrator's desire to engage deeply with children's struggles, including concerns surrounding schools and societal issues. The inclination to worry about these problems highlights a longing for connection and an understanding of the complexities that youth experience today, indicating that being present with them allows for a shared emotional journey.
