“Most of us remember adolescence as a kind of double negative: no longer allowed to be children, we are not yet capable of being adults.”
(Julian Barnes)

Adolescence has always been difficult. In our current digital realm, where teens live and breath and bully, that difficulty seems to have multiplied by a factor of 10. Add to this the ever-increasing pressures of college competition, and it’s little wonder why teen suicide rates are increasing.

This is why, some days, I try to keep my expectations for my teenagers fairly low. At a bare minimum, I want them to get into their twenties Alive, Alert, and Alone.

Alive—I want my teens to escape the clutches of suicide and car accidents

Alert—I want my teens to arrive in their twenties with a high school diploma and without any addictions to drugs, alcohol, or screen time (which includes video games, Netflix, social media, or porn)

Alone—I want my teens to soar into their twenties without any kids or spouses