How a teenager is made by Paige Goldstein

you take a student

create some stress

give them no freedoms

respect them even less

have high expectations

as you train them for success

control their lives

each and every step

slowly they regress

they’ll walk in a trance

puppets on a string

and the strings are in your hands
the schedule presented
coaches yelling and screaming
sports stresses only add to the overall messes

so that’s too many hours
spent in the system
and that’s not all yet

after it’s dance, scouts, religious school and work

finally at home
these kids get to relax
never mind you forgot
its homework for english and math
then college applications
chores have to wait for later

how about friends?
or enjoying some music?
maybe some TV?
to help them not lose it
maybe a nap?
but time is not to be wasted
not hours or minutes

and tomorrow?
it’s the same routine again
the alarm clock ringing

if this continues

where their opinions are inferior

and they are over worked with no room to lurk

slowly they’ll grow furious

make them unsure of their future

they tell us we’re only children, we’ve got no say

but in one year, it’ll finally be time to part our own ways

so  lay off the students
they’re working harder than ever
let them be their own person and that should relieve some of these pressures