Are Teens Today 100%? Maybe not - and that’s OK
I spotted this list on a local middle school Instagram account a while ago. At the time, I couldn’t put my finger on why it bothered me.*
Experience tells me that if someone can pull off all ten of these things, and do them well, they’ll be respected and rewarded. Truthfully, these usually take very little effort for me.
It’s a solid list. These are excellent goals for successfully launching young adults out into the world. These are how I expect my own kids to show up.
But do they require 0 effort to get there? NO!
When I look at this list through the eyes of an 6th, 9th or even 12th grader, I worry that memes like this perpetuate some dangerous ideas:
a. if you aren’t there yet, you’ll get no respect
b. you’ll never get there because school is so hard
What is required?
Self-evaluation
Maturity
Help
This is especially true for teens with executive function challenges or ADHD. The list is daunting but do-able with time and effort, and yes, assistance along the way.
For the record, if I made a list for where teens are today, it would include:
Brilliant
Kind
Hilarious
Mostly-on-time
Respectful
Silly
Empathic
Coachable
Eager
Hard-working
What’s my take-away?
Set realistic expectations. Respect and celebrate teens 100% for where they are - right here, right now. Support them and give them tools, lots of practice, and patience. But don't write them off just yet, they’ll get there.
*I also had trouble with that title. It makes me want to add a #11. Edit
