Teens

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Make (Good) Trouble’s Beren, 19, has decided to ditch social media for a month, “to make this experience of lockdown more positive”. With the enforced pause in many young people’s lives due to lockdown, many have taken the time to reflect on their priorities and what they want from life.

Here Beren discusses why he’s switching off, and what the first few days have been like. 

Day 1

Today I have felt a massive shift in my motivation to do things that I usually wouldn’t do. For example, reading books, making a vlog and thinking of how we can create a world of happiness and love. 

In our day-to-day lives we never stop for a minute to think about what we really desire. Most of our actions are conditional and unambitious. This first day has given me a moment of stillness and a pause, from the fast-moving world around us, to think. I have thought about what I would like to happen in my life and what I want to do, as well as how this affects other people. I want to inspire people to do something different that makes a positive change in their life. Social media is so amazing but only if it is used in a positive way to network and bring people together. The images we get from social media are normally fake and inspire people to look a certain way. Social media should inspire people but not to change their appearance. It should be a place where we encourage a healthy and exciting lifestyle. We shouldn’t rely on this privilege or we cannot be our true selves. 

Day 2

I have realised that we humans can have such a good time being productive and be in a really good headspace. But when one thing goes badly or stresses you out, our mental health goes downhill very quickly. Feeling stressed made me feel sick and like I was getting ill and I suddenly felt really tired. So I think social media is good sometimes to get our minds off things but can suck a lot of time out of us. Now I have to sit with my thoughts and I’m going to read a book to destress. I hope it works. 

Day 3 

Today has been such a good day. I recorded my vlog for yesterday. From this day I have had more time to think. Our daily lives are what we make them to be and will be as productive and exciting or as boring and lazy as we set out then to be. If we are unmotivated, we will be so lazy and fall into bad habits. But that little bit of effort to make a good routine will fulfil all the desires we have daily. 

What I’m trying to say is that thing that is a little harder than doing nothing may just fill you with joy and happiness that will last days, instead of that minor joy from social media which only lasts the duration. 

Also, today I realised I have been more connected with love for things around me. Such as nature, animals and my family.

You can follow Beren’s adventure on his vlog.

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In our second episode of Raising Teens, we’re looking at home schooling and education in lockdown. With lockdown set to continue for most young people, we explore what is life like for families and teens who have had exams cancelled and aren’t sure what happens next. We look at what support is available for students who have limited access to technology – 700,000 children don’t have a laptop or tablet of their own and 60,000 don’t have access to broadband in the UK. Some have no quiet space at home to work in. And when schools do re-open more fully, how comfortable are parents with sending their children back there?

Our guests, speaking to host, Guy Lloyd, are Rose Scott, counsellor at Hove Park school, Dr Kerstyn Comley, founder of the MeeTwo app and Matt Dumbledon, a father and part of the team at Dad La Soul, a grassroots community to support dads.

Teen reporter, Lola Ray, spoke to teens about how they were getting on with studying from home, how much time they spent on their school work and how they think the pandemic and lockdown might affect their future.

Dr Kerstyn Comley talks about anxiety on Raising Teens

You can hear Raising Teens on BBC Radio Sussex and Surrey at 7.30pm on Mondays and Wednesdays and online on BBC Sounds.

🔊 Listen to Lockdown Home Schooling on BBC Sounds

🔊 Listen to last week’s show on Anxiety in a Pandemic on BBC Sounds

Help and advice

NSPCC support and advice for children with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) 

Place 2 Be information on schools and education during the pandemic 

NHS mental health support for young people 

Young Minds advice and tips for young people who are self isolating

MeeTwo is a free fully moderated app for young people, providing peer support, expert help, educational and creative resources as well as links to UK charities and helplines.

The Student Room, coronavirus-related advice and support for students

Kooth, an online mental wellbeing community

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Our teen reporter, Lola Ray, interviewed PC Roisin Vafaee from Sussex Police about how they are adapting to policing in lockdown. PC Vafaee is working as a children and young person’s adviser during the coronavirus lockdown.

Lola and PC Vafaee discussed why it’s so important for young people to understand the full impact of COVID 19.

We have heard from many parents worried about their teens breaking the lockdown rules. As the stay at home mandate looks set to continue for the foreseeable future, it’s imperative that we help young people understand why they need to comply.

If you’re worried about your young person, you can join us on our Facebook page, Raising Teens in Lockdown, where you’ll get support from our team, other parents, and experts.

Sussex Police are happy to answer any questions you have. They are working to support parents, carers and teens and help keep us safe during lockdown.