We are all told that school days and childhood should be the best days of your life. Unfortunately, this is not true for all young people. Some young people do not enjoy school and they can not wait to leave school.
Young people have lots of things that cause them anxiety.
- School issues
- Friends
- Exam stress
- Low self-esteem
- Family issues
- Lockdown/COVID-19
School comes with its own set of issues. Questions from young people are endless but some are:
- Will I make friends?
- Can I cope with the work?
- How am I going to find my way around the school?
- Will I get picked for the sports teams?
Friends and making friends can be challenging. Young people want to be in the popular group because they think that will show that they are an ok person.
Exams
Exam stress is a big issue, young people are told they need certain results to be able to go on and achieve their chosen career. This puts immense pressure on them. Pressure can start from a very young age, particularly with SATS in primary school. I don’t want to go to university, but all the school/college talk about is the personal statement for university. Exams are not the be-all and end-all, they can be retaken and there are other routes to achieving your goals, ie apprenticeships With all this pressure, is it any wonder that children struggle to believe that childhood should be the best days of your life?
Low self-esteem
Low self-esteem is prevalent among young people. What will people think of me if I do this? Have I got enough followers and likes on social media? My life doesn’t seem as interesting as everyone else on social media.
Many children come from blended families. Some children do not have contact with one or both parents. Young people pick up on issues from home, even if it is nothing to do with them. They think about it and try to solve it, rather than speaking to someone about it. Young people can experience things at a young age that even adults find it difficult to deal with, ie the death of a relative, divorce.
A current issue that everyone is struggling to deal with is COVID-19. As adults, we don’t have all the answers to questions, never mind the additional ones that young people have.
- What will the school be like when I return?
- Will my exams happen next year?
- Is it safe to meet with my friends?
- I am worried about starting a new school.
As a counsellor, I haven’t got all the answers to the questions, particularly the ones related to COVID-19. I can work with young people to establish strategies that will help them cope with situations differently.