Ask Sam letter

Hi there,

Becoming a teenager can be scary especially as it's a time for lots of change, both emotionally and physically. Part of growing up is that we are expected to do more, but that doesn’t mean you can’t ask for help and it doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes.

As you grow from a young person into a young adult you may notice adults start giving you more independence. This is to help you grow and develop the life skills you need for later on. It doesn’t mean that people don’t care or want to help you. It may be more about wanting you to get used to being an adult.

Growing up is a gradual process, and not something that should happen at an overwhelming pace. It can help to take things day by day, and little by little, and slowly but surely you can begin to gain skills and knowledge at a pace that feels right for you.

I can really appreciate what an anxious time being a teenager can be. There are many pressures on young people and this is not easy. While it may feel uncomfortable asking for help, everybody learns things differently and at different times in their life.

Nobody should expect you to know things straight away as this would be unfair, and there should be no embarrassment or fear around asking for help when you feel you need it. You don’t need to get things right straight away either — people get things wrong no matter what age they are. Making mistakes is a part of how we learn.

All adults have been teenagers at some time in their life, and sometimes it can help to talk about how you feel as they may have gone through similar things. Support is really important because it can be a very challenging time for many young people. Nobody should feel like they are on their own. It might help for you to look at our message boards where other young people share their experiences.

If you need to talk to someone, you can always talk to a ChildLine counsellor.

Take care,
Sam