Some Tips for High School Students

– Leslie E. Packer, PhD

Feel like everyone’s always yelling at you for not doing what you’re supposed to be doing? Look, this is

your life, and you need to get in charge of it if you don’t want everyone making decisions for you. I teach

parents how to advocate for their kids, but I also teach kids how to advocate for themselves, and part of

advocating for yourself is taking as much responsibility for yourself as you can. That means not making

excuses or trying to use something as a cop-out. It means speaking up and telling people when you really

do need help or advice. It also means recognizing that even if something is from your “disability,” you still

have to live in this world and you need to take steps so that your problem doesn’t become everyone else’s

problem.

Here are some things you might want to try if you’re having these problems: