"What parents aren't told by their own children, they should hear from us, the kids in the book. I jumped at the chance to help with this project. I worked on it because it seemed tragic to me that so many teenagers, who more than likely told their parents they were "fine," had poured out their hearts to someone else. Since they had the courage to speak their true thoughts, I was willing to help them be heard on an even broader scale. Everyone should be heard, even moody teenagers who walk in the door silently, run up to their rooms, and slam the door. Adults often forget the pressure society puts on teens to figure out who they are, and the anxiety that accompanies trying to have such an epiphany before making more than a handful of decisions on their own. I wanted to help with this project because I realized that teenagers have to communicate with parents a little better. We need to help them listen to us.
I think that maybe parents trivialize things that are important to us because they don't know what they are. We are immersed in a culture that parents don't understand. Although well-intentioned parents assume that teaching good values can protect their children from making bad choices, teens today exist in an increasingly dangerous world with total mobility and no judgment. Parents, here are real kids telling you what you should probably be hearing from your own children. They are telling you what they wish you knew - and even giving you advice on how you can help. As someone who survived adolescence unscathed, I attribute this accomplishment to the generosity of the adults that gave me their time and attention as I attempted to sort out the world.”
Student, Age 16