What AF said is true. It's an unfortunate - and something that
   *ought to be* unnecessary - burden on the shoulders of adults
   who deal with, talk to, are friends with younger people. I avoid
   that trap as much as possible but I do it a bit. I'll say, "I'm
   not a role model, just sharing my story", which is a tip of the
   hat to feeling required to say something *just in case* someone
   is looking up to me and I don't realize it. But, I remember.
   What you experienced feels like ageism. And... it is ageism.
   It's a pervasive part of society, affecting all levels. Ageism
   affects youth. Affects elders. Affects middle aged. It's very
   hard to break free of in certain circumstances. I work very hard
   to combat it: It's been one of my missions since I was about 18
   and decided I would never make someone younger than me feel bad
   for being born in the timestream when they were and I would
   never make somebody older than me feel bad for being born in the
   timestream when they were.