Advice Every Teenager Should Know, As Told By Parents
Teenagers always think they know best. Little do they know, their lives are just beginning and they have so much to learn and experience.
Parents are sharing their wisdom to hopefully give their teens the tools and guidance to get them through their adolescence.
No Means No
"It's ok to say no to anyone. Don't let anyone in your life guilt trip you into doing something you don't want to do or are uncomfortable with." -Purpleraven01
Teens need to understand that there is no circumstance in which they need to cave in to the pressure if they're not comfortable with it.
Only Do It Because YOU Actually Want To
"It's exactly as lame to not do something you want to do because it's too mainstream or popular as it is to do something only because it's cool and the cool kids are doing it." -itsacalamity
Teens are often afraid of being socially excluded if they don't conform to what everyone else is doing. They need to find safety in doing what they actually want.
Learn Another Language
"Learn a second language. It's good for your brain, and it's a lot easier when you're young." -HappyHappyKidney
Although it's never too late, learning another language will open up new doors for them as well as expand their cultural knowledge.
Pick Your Friends Carefully
"The measure of whether someone has the potential to be a new friend of yours is not whether they like a bunch of things you like. You are at a spot in life where a lot of your likes and dislikes are subject to change anyway.
The biggest thing is making a new friend often takes time. Find things to do, groups to join, city league sports to play (pandemic permitting, or after), and keep learning about the people you see repeatedly." - helicopterpurple
Failing Is A Good Thing
"Failure and mistakes are where you are learning!" -JoatMon325
Teens need to know that mistakes are the only way they'll advance. They need to take risks and trust their gut even if they turn out to be wrong and that they're not too hard on themselves when they are.
Start Saving Some Money Now
"Even if you don't know yet what you're saving for... Could be a down payment on a car, could be for a computer, for a move to a new town for a better job, deposits on an apartment and utilities, car repairs, veterinary visits for a pet, a new bed/mattress. Life happens and if you have savings, it makes it easier." -JoatMon325
As long as they still use some to enjoy their youth, learning to save early on will teach budgeting and responsibility and they will thank themselves later on.
Perfect One Skill
"Get a marketable skill, unskilled labor isn't fun. You need something that's going to pay you, it doesn’t have to be your life’s passion, contrary to what my peers were saying at that age, but you do need to be able to tolerate it." -sweetperdition
Part of a career is knowing how to build yourself up. Honing in one skill will allow them to excel in it. University should be an option not a requirement.
Some Things Don't Need To Be Embarrassing
"Cashiers don't care if you buy condoms. " -induceddaftfan
Or tampons for that matter. Young men and women need to get rid of any embarrassment associated with their sexuality, womanhood, or safety.
Make Fitness A Habit
"Get active and fit; make it a habit. This is one of the most important ways to stave off cognitive decline as you get older. Plus, it's great for managing mental health during the transition to adulthood." - HappyHappyKidney
This will allow them to live longer, meet more people, and just actually feel like their best and healthiest selves.
Mental Health Matters Just As Much As Physical Health
"Don't put off dealing with mental health issues. Developing unhealthy coping mechanisms for emotional issues will do more damage down the road."
"If you have issues, deal with it head-on, right away. It can take time, but start the work now." -EmbarrassedCalendar1
Drive Safely, Not Like You're Auditioning For The Fast And Furious
"When you get to driving you need to realize that the laws of physics apply to you. They aren't out to get you, they're just indifferent. Slow down don't horse around, you're driving a very heavy machine at speeds we did not evolve to deal with. Be safe." -faceeatingleopard
Driving races and speeding can cause accidents that teens can avoid if they abide by this.
Follow And Trust Your Gut
"Learn to trust your gut when in strange situations. If something feels off / wrong, it probably is. Don't go along with something if it feels wrong." -holydumpsterfire451
Our gut is there for a reason. It's rooted in everything we've learned and feel and that makes it usually right.
There's A Whole Big And Great World Beyond High School
"Drop the politics and drama of your school. I know it feels like it is the whole world now, but if you let those who try to bring you down, who mock you, who try and pressure you will not be around forever.
Worry about building yourself to being the best you that you can become over wasting time trying to impress those you won't even remember in a few months after graduation." -Ehwearehere
Your Feelings Matter
"Every feeling you have deserves to be expressed in any constructive manner. Don't fear rejection from those you like/love." -drDjausdr
Teens shouldn't feel the need to repress the multitude of feelings they are experiencing and can't explain. They should feel entitled to have them and safe sharing them.
It's Okay To Not Know What You Want To Do With Your Life
"If you don't have a passion, learn new skills. You might find your passion or something you're good at." -checkmatelocked
Teens don't need to have it all figured out at a young age. Learning new skills might ignite a new passion or help them figure it out as they go.
"Hold Yourself To Your Own Standards"
"If you wouldn't let anyone treat your friends/family like trash, then don't do it yourself.
If you expect others to be intelligent and to care, then you should be intelligent and caring. Hold yourself accountable for how you want the world to be. Be a part of the world you want to live in." K--Will
Sleep As Much As You Want To
"Regarding sleep, teens need more of it than adults and school schedules disrupt their sleep, so don't blame yourself about feeling like you 'slept your teen years away'.
No amount of "good habits" would have changed the fact you needed the extra sleep! Especially those morning hours!" -KiloJools
Be Open To Taking Advice
"Advice is free, and if you respond to it with "I know" then you're probably not gonna figure your problem out." -papawam
As a teen, it can often feel like you got it all figured out but it's important to understand that you never stop learning and so it's important to take other's wisdom, especially when it's about things they have yet to experience.
Be Willing To Let Love Go If You Grow Apart
"If you change together and are still on the same path, that's great! But allow yourselves to change, allow them to change, and reassess whether you're simply together for loyalty or because you still really want a future together with who you both are now.
Basically, be willing to let love go. It doesn't mean you didn't love them. You both changed and it happens and it's kinda sad but will just open you up to be yourself." -donteatmenooo
Learn How To Cook
"It's way cheaper and usually faster than takeout." -ten-million
Often teens depend on their family's cooking, so when they move out all they can make is eggs and mac n cheese. Learning to cook while still young will pave the way for a healthier and more economical future.
The Bad Times Always Pass
"There's always more to it. Right now isn’t the be all and end all." - suck-ulent
Seeing the big picture and feeling confident that the present moment doesn't define the next one will give them security and an ability to see beyond their pain to get past it.
You're Not As Sneaky As You Think
"We know all the tricks, we were teenagers once before as well."
Rather then try to go through the effort of playing a trick that your parent actually probably invented themselves, try to be honest. You might get more freedom that way anyway.
Own Up To Your Mistakes
"When you make a mistake, own up to it. People are more willing to help you when you admit you did a dumb thing. This goes for school, work, and personal life.
Mess something up on a school project? Tell your teacher and ask for a bit of leeway. People will be more likely to help you if you communicate." -GreenOnionCrusader
Look Out For Red Flags, And Use Them
"Learn the signs and signals of toxic relationships. All too often these can start as early as high school and before you know it you've wasted years of your life being someone's victim." -Theearthhasnoedges
This will save them a lot of heartaches and give them the courage to walk away when they need to.
Just Be Yourself
"You may not entirely know who you are yet, and by not being yourself, you're going to lose your true self in the mix.
If you're lucky, it'll take many years and a lot of soul searching to even bring back your uniqueness, and then clump that all together to learn who you truly are. " - Jazzlike-Region
Don't Blindly Follow Authority
"You're allowed to question authority. If an authority does/says something you think is wrong, you're allowed to question that." -lustified
At the end of the day, those in authoritative roles are just human too, and they make mistakes that they can learn from.
The World Can Be A Tough Place
"Learn that the world will usually not lend you a hand, so you have to pull yourself up by your own bootstraps, resilience, tenacity, and will.
You're not the first person in the world to be a teenager, so don't feel like no one understands you or what it's like. We've all been there. " -BigBearSD
Life Goes By So Quickly Past High School
"Life moves very quickly after leaving school - years go by so quickly.
Please don't be scared of that, adult life is great but you just have to keep yourself active and doing different things. Just make sure to appreciate everything you have and try not to have regrets." -ImplodingPeach
Learn How To Appreciate The Small Things Too
"Appreciate good times, days with nice weather, try to get as much joy as you can from those things, because if you don't you won't get any from elsewhere and no one can give it to you.
Later you might look back and regret spending years of your life bitterly, emotionally fixated on negative things that won't take you forward in life."
"You Don't Need To Know Everything"
"You don't need to be a genius. It's more important to know enough about what you don't know. Sometimes it's best to keep your mouth shut and your ears open." -CherryPopperMD
You'd be surprised how much more you can learn this way, even with what you already thought you knew.
