Taking in the hearts and minds of teens
Voices of young people provide window into the difficulties they face
Your “Teens Speak” feature in the Sept. 24 Ideas section was illuminating. I learned a great deal that, as an older adult, I never knew about the difficult lives of today’s teenagers. I’ve heard of the pressure to do well in school and in sports but I had no idea how bad it can be.
I thought one writer made an amazing point about how “middle-aged” adults have become used to working crazy hours and that that has been passed down to their children, who are expected to study all the time, even into the middle of the night. Reading about juggling five extracurricular activities in addition to the expectation of straight A’s was frightening. Even worse was the loss of a real childhood to social media. Some of the authors also made clear the kind of toll the COVID-19 pandemic took on today’s teens. On the other hand, it was wonderful to find out how being alone at that time allowed one writer to find herself.
I also did not know how many teens are reluctant or unable to express themselves and how many are hiding unhappiness and confusion beneath a mask of happy-happy on social media. I appreciated such good information about the many colors of autism.
And I have an answer to my questions about what it is like to grow up constantly worrying about school shootings.
Meanwhile, all of these teenagers wrote so well, which was yet another huge treat.
SHARON KENNEDY
Medford
Wow. I have rarely been so riveted by a series of Globe articles. And my child is long past the teen years. Still, it’s important for all of us to understand why these kids are experiencing such high levels of anxiety.
The students you featured are so open and such good writers. It was a great concept, so well executed.
BARB HEFFNER
Wayland