Do you hear what these children are saying?

So yesterday, my 14 year old step-son had to deliver a prepared speech as part of his English GCSE course. After threatening to do a talk on "Why school is rubbish" he finally went with a discussion piece on modern day problems... Contrasting morbid obesity in the western world with famine in the 3rd world, contrasting "forced education" (so that he didn't have to leave the "school is rubbish" concept completely behind) with no or limited education opportunities and children being put to work; and finally contrasting flooding & pollution with WASH.

And I thought nobody in the house was listening to me when I droned on about what I do with my days!

He did have to make one slight concession to his mother... That he wasn't allowed to blame "ruddy David Cameron" for all of the world's problems... And I swear I haven't subjected him to my socialist heritage at all!

I'm still not sure whether I should be encouraged or discouraged that he is already aware of the challenging, complex and contradictory world that we live in, but I am sure that I can be a proud (step-) dad!