I am re-sharing this, because it sparked a good conversation at Chez Parks last night. My 17-year-old daughter commented about how often people ask her how she is doing in school, or where she wants to go to college, or what she wants to ‘do with her life’.

Recently, out to dinner with her older brother, no fewer than 7 people began a conversation by asking, “Are you guys in college?”

To a 17-year-old, these questions are fraught with stress and anxiety. There are already people, daily, up in their lives about academics and plans for the future. Next time you meet a teen, ask them,

“What do you do for fun?”

“What music do you like?”

“Have you been to any cool places lately?”

“Are you a sports fan?”

Teens need room to be themselves, and to think and grow at their own pace. They don’t need more pressure from adults to make big decisions about their future. See them for the person they are – not the season they are in! #wisewords