Helping Teens Deal With Fears About the Future As your teenager looks beyond high school to life ahead of him, he may have fears about his future. And if your child has learning and attention issues, his path may seem especially uncertain. But if you can understand his fears, you can also help him manage them. Teenagers’ view of their futures evolves over time. From ages 13–15, they’re usually focused on their own needs and concerns. As they move through high school, from about ages 15–18, they start to dabble in adulthood. And when they’re 18–23, most young adults finally understand that their future success is up to them. As teens move toward young adulthood, they often feel the pressure of too much change in too short a period of time. This can lead to feeling worried or afraid. For example, they may fear: - Losing the support of parents and family as they become more independent. - Taking on the responsibilities of adulthood. It takes courage to face these fears. But facing them builds self-esteem. Running from fear (when there’s no real danger) can erode self-respect. Fear also has a function: It forces your child sit up and notice when something important is happening inside or around him. The best thing you can do for your child is to honor his fears. Anxiety is common among young adults with learning and attention issues. That’s because many of them have experienced frustration and confusion in school. Your child may expect failure. So new situations may cause him more anxiety than they do other people. […] By Victoria Scanlan Stefanakos. Understood for Learning & Attention Issues Available at: https://www.understood.org/en/school-learning/choosing-starting-school/leaving-high-school/helping-teens-deal-with-fears-about-the-future Accessed on: oct. 30, 2015.
What does the text say about each of these topics? Point out the author’s position for each of these items.
- a) Condition for parents help teenagers manage their fear: ___________________________________________
- b) Focus of 13/15-year-old teenagers: ___________________________________________________________
- c) Discovery of 18/23-year-old young adults: ______________________________________________________
- d) Function of fear: __________________________________________________________________________
- e) Most common fears of teenagers: ____________________________________________________________