No one asks them how they #feel about all this shit going on. Maybe because we are afraid of the answers, or perhaps we are not ready to hold that space yet as we are a bit depleted of energy. But I was #curious, so I asked a few questions from our hoodie loving #teenager. I think one day this hoodie will be absorbed in her body. But I totally understand her. I would love to hide somewhere #safe and #warm until all this is over. Here is the short version of our chat.
🍃 How is lockdown for you? Not great.
🍃 How was the pandemic year? Traumatic
🍃 The positive: our dog, time to understand myself. The negative: #anxiety, boring life, sadness that people died.
🍃 What advice you have for #parents to help their #teens? Don't put more pressure on your teen. Don't try and fix it. Have #conversations about it. Build #trust if there isn't.
🍃 What are your needs at the moment? To feel understood by the #school. Less pressure to achieve. Proper conversations about #mental #health. Not some videos to watch about it in school, and that's it. Talking to #friends is important even if I sometimes don't do anything about it.
🍃 What are you looking forward to the most? Traveling abroad, #hug people, being in groups with other teenagers, #performing to other people, #theatre plays and going to the #cinema
🍃 Advice for other teenagers: Calm Down. School is only school. It doesn't define you.
My heart felt heavy after our one hour-long interview. I could see how glad she was that her #voice was heard, even if it's her #mum and some of you. Listening, #release, healing needs to happen, and if the school system can't help, then carers and parents can land a helping hand. And I don't say that it is easy or that parents are full of time, energy, and patience at the moment. I am also running on reserves. But we can be #honest about our #reality and have a conversation about their reality.
Love, Nora
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