By: Malina Bussey CMG Student Ambassador
Sometimes adults say things that might not seem like a big deal to them, but they can actually hurt our feelings more than they realize.
One thing I hear a lot is, “You’re too young to understand.” Sometimes we might not understand everything, but that doesn’t mean our feelings aren’t real. We’re still people, and we can still have opinions and emotions.
Another thing is when adults say, “You have nothing to be stressed about.” We might not have the same problems adults have, but that doesn’t mean our problems don’t matter. School, friendships, family, and trying to figure ourselves out can be stressful too.
Sometimes adults also compare us to other kids and say things like, “Why can’t you be more like them?” That can make us feel like we aren’t good enough, even if that wasn’t what they meant.
I’m not saying adults are trying to hurt us. Sometimes they probably don’t even realize how their words sound. But I think it would help if adults remembered that what sounds like a small comment to them can stay in a teenager’s head for a long time.
We don’t expect adults to be perfect. We just want them to understand that our feelings matter too.