high school advice from a previous teen (many years ago...)

High school was rough for me. I had some very close friends and supportive parents that helped me through some of my struggles as a high schooler. I'm not sure how things would have turned out if it wasn't for them.  

High school is when stress really truly begins. Those hormones, emotions, and a bunch of new temptations are with you all day long. You're striving to be noticed or praised or recognized for something. Academics, music, sports, drama... People are pushing you to do more, to do better, to achieve more while you are still figuring out what it means to grow up. You're starting to search for the definition of who you are. Plus your future is staring you right in the face and that is scary!! 

High school is when my anxiety disorder kicked in, full-fledged panic attacks and all. I know I've talked about it before and will probably mention it again, but that's because I'm hoping that my experience might help someone else with the same issue.

I worry about today's high schoolers and the pressure they face. The way each one handles it all could shape his or her future. Panic attacks (which I didn't even know was a thing till I was diagnosed!), eating disrorders, physical harm to themselves, drinking or drugs, and I'm sure there are a multitude of other negative ways that our teens are handling life these days, and that's why I worry.

I don't have the solution to help avoid each of those things listed up there, but I can tell you what helped me: communication. I had parents who didn't understand what I was going through, but they listened to me and talked to me as I went through it all. They allowed me the space to handle each panic attack as I needed to without making me feel bad about it. They didn't put any pressure on me to continue living with a crazy schedule and I ended up quitting 2 sports my senior year. 

And they prayed for me. I could not have made it through the remainder of my high school years and through my college years without that prayer. 

I don't have any teens of my own yet, (unless you count nieces and nephews!) but I do have friends whose kiddos are stepping in to that crazy time of life. I don't know your kids like you do, but please just be aware. 

Communicate and pray: it could make the hugest difference in your teens life. 

It did in mine.

KC