Teenagers.

Do you ever walk around your local mall, look around at all the teenagers being disrespectful, inappropriate, rude etc. and worry just a little bit about our future?  I know I do sometimes.  And I get to witness this at college fairs very often!  However, let me tell you… I spend a lot of time one on one and in small groups with this age group and I am so impressed with some of the students I come across that it restores my faith in our future generation.  We are in good hands. These kids are overachievers, hard workers and just downright awesome.  Don’t judge the whole generation by some questionable clothing choices and choice of language when around friends.  This might be what you see here and there, but it does not determine much about their character.  You were young and stupid once too.  We all were.

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Remember what the pressure was like to try and fit in and be “cool”?  Remember how TERRIBLE  that first heartbreak was?  Remember how you felt nobody understood you? Remember wanting your parents to just leave you alone?  Maybe you didn’t feel any of these things.  Good for you, but that is not the majority of this age group.  Cut these teeny boppers some slack.

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All they are trying to do is make their way in the world, just like everyone else.  They have endless possibilities and choices in front of them and that is incredibly overhwleming for a 17 year old.  How are they supposed to pick a life path when they don’t even know what to pick out for clothes in the morning? 

If you are as priveleged as I am to be around this age group often, do something for me.  Don’t give them the whole “when I was your age we didn’t have bla bla bla”.  WE hated hearing that when we were young, that has not changed.  When they tell you about all their crazy ideas and goals, don’t roll your eyes and tell them they are making no sense  or are not being realistic (even if that might be true).  Hear them out. Treat them like an adult even when you feel like they don’t deserve it.  Give them some encouragement.  Tell them it will all work out.  It will not go unoticed, promise.

 

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