The Roller Coaster of Teen Emotions

If you remember back to your own adolescent years, you probably remember how your emotions were at times like a roller-coaster. One minute you were happy. The next minute you were sad. Sure it differs from person to person and day to day, but those of us who work with or are raising kids know that teenagers can be up and down. A new survey from the Gallup organization has looked at the emotions of today’s ten to eighteen year olds, specifically asking them about the emotions they felt during the prior day. Overall, ninety-four percent say they had experienced happy emotions at some point during the prior day. Forty-five percent said they had felt stress. Thirty-eight percent report feeling anxiety, and twenty-three percent experienced sadness. Not surprisingly, these percentages were all higher for our girls than for our boys. Parents, be aware that your kids are experiencing a spectrum of emotions, and before giving them guidance and direction, take time to listen and to understand.