Today's Teens

[Signore Snuffles]

Today's teens are having a lot on their plate. They have Extracurricular activities, and homework, and some are doing way too much. This causes teens to have stress, way too much stress.

Some parents think that extracurricular activities are the way to colledge, so their teen may be doing three sports, or band and sports, and this completely books their schedule. They have homework when they get home, and then sleep, but they are getting way too little sleep.

There was an English teacher that tought in a middle school and she gave an assignment for the teens to write a paper on what they do when they hang out with their friends, some teens just looked at her, they had no idea what it meant to "hang out" with friends.

I do also agree that extracurricular activities are good, they get your teen to meet other teens, and it keeps them physically fit. But when it runs your teen's life, they are no longer good.

What do you think? Even if you don't have a teen, how do you feel?  

[Zedenek]

We all have the power of choice. Now, when a teen has way too many activities to handle, then I think it is the parent that's behind it. Sometimes, parents forget that their children are NOT the ticket to their own lost dreams.

I have an aunt that enrolled her daughter in ballet when she was five. Then, she enrolled her in four more classes. Today, she takes 6 classes, three on the same day....for the whole week! Including weekends. Now that is just ridiculous. I mean, my cousin doesn't even like it, but her mom forces her.

Until my cousin learns to speak up, she will keep doing extra activities until she turns 18 (she's 11 now). So, extra curriculum activies are good, but in moderation. And teens shouldn't let their parents force them into anything they do not want to do. We have choices!  

[Signore Snuffles]

Yes, parents are pushing their teens way too much, and the teens don't speak up, because a lot of them are afraid of their parents. And so they will continue doing what they don't want to.  

[gamer014]

Let's see, I particapate in now extra activities such as sports or band. I work with my father at my own choice and on the weekends I play D&D with my friends untill the crack of dawn. My parents have never forced me to do anything besides minimal task such as cleaning, taking a shower, and getting dressed in nice clothes for picture day.

But most teens these days do everything out of choice. They work as much as they can since they want that extra green or shiney coin in their wallet or purse. They do sports since their friends do it or their family loves that certain sport. But now-a-days peer presure hits harder then 20 years ago. So what is the reason why teens have so much to do? Is it peer pressure, free choice, parents or something else?  

[s e n t i o n a u t]

The main reason behind all of this "activity-pushing" is most definitely overbearing parents who couldn't accomplish what they wanted when they were young themselves. This reminds me of all the parents who enroll their young daughters in beauty pageants at an early age. Most of the time the girls do NOT want to be subjected to such rigorous training and preparation. It is their parents who feel the need to prove themselves through their offspring.

I'm 17, and my parents aren't pushing me to do anything. I'm really grateful for that. However, my cousins who are tall, skinny, graceful, and blonde, are being forced by my hotsy-totsy aunt who expects nothing less than perfection into four or more classes/activities per day.

They don't want to do it. But if they gain weight or are not accepted by today's standards, my aunt would have a serious mental breakdown.  

[Keiji Death Kiss]

In truth, the situation can very. It is a matter of background, financial status etc. Although it is true that most, if not, a large number of parents tend to place their teenagers in extracurricular activities so as to perhaps to ensure some form of a future in college. Such is not always the case. There are a fair number of teen agers out there that choose to do these things. In other words, as another has already said, it is a matter of choice. Extracurricular activities are not always forced.

It is true that today's youth perhaps does have a great amount of pressure on them. At the same time, to say one age group has more on their plate than another would be a serious overstatement.

For no matter what the age, every individual faces daily situations, and decisions of which can prove rather stressful.  

[saiaka1010]

yes i agree parents are pushing teens
i'm a teen myself and my parents are pushing me to study and those things
but it helps us out in the furture of our lifes
and my parents dont let me do school activies  

[Gilded_Lotus]

I know my parents are pushing me to do all sorts of extra things besides school. I've got Boy Scouts, Future Business Leaders of America, Driving school, Chruch Youth group, and school. I don't really know the meaning of "hang out", when I'm with my friends, we're usually working on some project, or attempting to deal with the massive pressures in our lives. So yeah...Parents ned to back off of us. (And they wonder why teens loose it and shoot up schools)  

[Imortal ~ Rose]

Evangelene_Lily

Today's teens are having a lot on their plate. They have Extracurricular activities, and homework, and some are doing way too much. This causes teens to have stress, way too much stress.

Some parents think that extracurricular activities are the way to colledge, so their teen may be doing three sports, or band and sports, and this completely books their schedule. They have homework when they get home, and then sleep, but they are getting way too little sleep.

There was an English teacher that tought in a middle school and she gave an assignment for the teens to write a paper on what they do when they hang out with their friends, some teens just looked at her, they had no idea what it meant to "hang out" with friends.

I do also agree that extracurricular activities are good, they get your teen to meet other teens, and it keeps them physically fit. But when it runs your teen's life, they are no longer good.

What do you think? Even if you don't have a teen, how do you feel?

THIS IS SOOOOOOO TRUE!
Between violin (i practice at least an hour every day) soccer, basketball and honors school work, and having an actuall life ( I wouldn't wanna be the preppy honors kid would you?) I feel like someone just dumped a piile of s**t on my shoulders.  

[Imortal ~ Rose]

saiaka1010

yes i agree parents are pushing teens
i'm a teen myself and my parents are pushing me to study and those things
but it helps us out in the furture of our lifes
and my parents dont let me do school activies

they dont LEt you or you dont want to?  

[Imortal ~ Rose]

NekoNekoKyuu

The main reason behind all of this "activity-pushing" is most definitely overbearing parents who couldn't accomplish what they wanted when they were young themselves. This reminds me of all the parents who enroll their young daughters in beauty pageants at an early age. Most of the time the girls do NOT want to be subjected to such rigorous training and preparation. It is their parents who feel the need to prove themselves through their offspring.

I'm 17, and my parents aren't pushing me to do anything. I'm really grateful for that. However, my cousins who are tall, skinny, graceful, and blonde, are being forced by my hotsy-totsy aunt who expects nothing less than perfection into four or more classes/activities per day.

They don't want to do it. But if they gain weight or are not accepted by today's standards, my aunt would have a serious mental breakdown.

that is sad. That reminds me of a book called "A Dance Of Sisters" about two sisters. One goes to a prestiguoes ballet skool where the girls there are forced to push everything out of there mind that doesn't relate to balet. The girls starve themselves so that they get praise from the madame who runs the place and so they can get good parts. it was sad to watch her through her life away, but she saved it in the end.  

[Imortal ~ Rose]

gamer014

Let's see, I particapate in now extra activities such as sports or band. I work with my father at my own choice and on the weekends I play D&D with my friends untill the crack of dawn. My parents have never forced me to do anything besides minimal task such as cleaning, taking a shower, and getting dressed in nice clothes for picture day.

But most teens these days do everything out of choice. They work as much as they can since they want that extra green or shiney coin in their wallet or purse. They do sports since their friends do it or their family loves that certain sport. But now-a-days peer presure hits harder then 20 years ago. So what is the reason why teens have so much to do? Is it peer pressure, free choice, parents or something else?

truness and bublerrys