09/10/2026
Today is World Su***de Prevention Day.
And there is something I wish every kid was taught BEFORE they ever needed saving.
Why we only talk about this for a day baffles me, but hey.
As someone who has worked with teens for over a decade, there are things I wish every child was taught from the time they were little.
And quite frankly, things I wish more parents understood.
➡️ YOU AREN’T MEANT TO FIT IN.
In REAL life...you know, after school...success often comes to the people who stand out. The people who think differently. The people who embrace their unique talents.
Why school doesn’t foster more of this way of thinking is beyond me.
Instead, kids can grow up thinking something is wrong with them if they don’t fit in.
There isn’t.
➡️ YOUR GRADES DON’T DEFINE HOW SMART YOU ARE.
This is another one that annoys the hell out of me.
I always love a teen’s reaction when I ask, “Who made up the grading system?”
Yeah. Exactly. Who the hell knows. 😂
Apply yourself. Try your best. Learn.
But a grade does not determine your intelligence or your worth.
If you’re great at memorizing information and taking tests, congrats...school may make you feel really smart.
But what about the creative kid? The kid whose unique talents aren’t necessarily measured on a test?
Beginning at five years old, that child can start believing they’re “not smart.”
And on the flip side, the straight-A kid can start believing those grades ARE their intelligence...so getting a B feels devastating. Failing feels unthinkable. Taking a risk becomes scary because they’ve learned they need to be perfect.
But in REAL life?
Success comes from having the confidence to learn, fail, get back up and try again.
Not from being perfect.
➡️ YOU DON’T NEED A MILLION FRIENDS.
Sure, friends are wonderful.
But there is nothing wrong with you if you haven’t found your tribe yet.
Think about it.
In school, your friendship pool is basically...who happens to be your age and lives in the same general area. 😂
In real life, you find people through common interests, careers, experiences, hobbies and LIFE.
Not finding your people at 14 does not mean there is something wrong with you.
➡️ AND SCHOOL MAY BE ONE OF THE HARDEST TIMES OF YOUR LIFE.
I say this even if you have a relatively good experience.
You get up at the crack of dawn, go somewhere you may not want to go, spend your entire day around people you didn't choose, learn a bunch of things you may or may not care about...and then get evaluated on how well you do ALL of it.
Oh...and to be considered “normal” and make everyone happy, you're supposed to get great grades, have lots of friends, play a sport, be well-liked AND fit in.
No pressure. 😂
And when you’re a kid, school IS your world.
You don't have the life experience yet to know most of this will NOT matter later.
Which is why there is one thing I wish we taught kids that matters more than ALL of this nonsense...
LOVE YOURSELF REGARDLESS.
Regardless of your grades.
Regardless of how many friends you have.
Regardless of whether you play a sport.
Regardless of whether you fit in.
Regardless of whether everyone likes you.
Regardless.
Because when you learn to truly love yourself on the inside, your worth doesn't have to rise and fall based on everything happening around you.
And maybe instead of only asking our kids...
How are your grades?
Did you make the team?
Who are you friends with?
Did you get invited?
What college are you going to?
We also start making sure they know something much more important:
YOU WERE BORN. YOU ARE WORTHY. NO PROOF OR VALIDATION NEEDED.
That is something I wish every kid knew long before they ever needed to hear it.
Know a mom who needs to hear this? Copy it. Share it.
Know a kid who needs to hear it? TELL THEM. 💕
