‘On fleek’ Is So Yesterday!

If you’re a teacher or a parent who has teens in your life, you may spend a good deal of your time struggling not to admit that you’re feeling a bit out of touch.

Well, here’s some survey results that might give you a chance of catching up a bit, to understand where teens are coming from and what’s happening/ what matters in their lives;

Business Insider – What Teens Are Like in 2016

It’s important that we’re careful with this kind of information. Trying to be ‘like the teens’ is not going to work and will very rapidly lead to lost respect. This is a club to which we’re not permitted membership, even if we learn the passwords. We have to remember our role – as parent or educator – and that we’re not there to be their best buddy. There’s also nothing to be gained by condemning, criticising or denying how things are. We only have to look back to our own teen years and the things that confused, annoyed or angered our parents’ generation, whilst making perfect sense to us. And, didn’t those things play a part in shaping who we are today?

However, understanding a bit more about how their minds tick, what they hold important and what matters can provide clues as to how best to work with them. One thing that hasn’t changed (and won’t) is the peer pressure coupled with FOMO (fear of missing out) that means that when a trend catches with teens, it’s very quickly an avalanche. These pressures feel very real for the teen and can be the source of considerable stress. Simply telling them to think independently doesn’t solve the issue!