Leave the Kids Behind

Were we supposed to hate the kids? The boy was a useless, unlikeable moron who kept pulling his teeth out after realising 1 came out too easily. The girl selfishly ventured out on her own without a thought for any of her loved ones, who already in a worried state, now had to worry about her. Between the pair of them they had the most foul language of everyone. Usually kids are the ones you're meant to feel most sorry for in these apocalyptic event films but in this there was little sympathy. Was it some sort of twist?

Also I did find it a little contrived that it took for the boy to become sick before they sought help from Kevin Bacon. It looked to me from very near the beginning they were pretty isolated and without any access to the TV or internet. You'd think if they knew the whereabouts of someone else nearby they'd go to this person just to see how they are holding up, what their situation is, if they can shed light on it, never mind just go there for medicine after a member of their party gets sick.