You may think high school boys don’t worry about many things but let me tell you a secret. They do, and what worries them may surprise you!
As a mom of four boys including twin 16-year-olds, I’m around a LOT of high schoolers. They are either hanging out at my house, or I’m shuttling them around in the car (although one son is about to get his driver’s license!)
Granted, there’s a fair share of noise and goofing, but there is also a depth to these young men that has surprised me. This is what high school boys are worried about:
5 Things High School Boys Worry About:
1. Their appearance … especially hair.
This was a shocker for me. As my boys crept through elementary and into middle and high school, I noticed a definite shift in the appearance department. Instead of throwing on any old thing, they took great care in their wardrobe choices. I expected them not to bother, but it turns out they worried about appearance even more than some of the girls I knew! As one mom put it, her high school daughter got her hair done maybe once a year, but her son had an ongoing obsession and worried about it looking just right. She said she thought her daughter would drive her crazy over clothes and hair, but her son was the culprit!
One of my sons went through a man bun stage. My friend said her teenage son once had her pull their car over so he could unbuckle his seat belt and check his hair in the rear-view mirror before he got out for school—and that his bathroom looks like a hair salon because of his hair products.
2. Politics and world events.
Many people believe high school boys are oblivious to important issues or only care about sports. This is untrue, as many of these young men care greatly about what happens on the political and world stage. I’ve noticed my high schoolers hanging out on the couch as my husband and I watch our nightly news shows. It was very important to them to pre-register to vote and they can’t wait to officially participate in their first presidential election in a couple of years. I’ve overheard them talking with their friends about their political views and fears of what the future holds. They know that what happens today impacts their futures, and it’s a definite concern.
3. Parental communication with teachers or (gasp!) the principal.
A mom friend recently told me that her high school son worries that if he shares anything that is going on at school with his teachers that she’ll call and say something. He’s also mortified that she regularly speaks to the principal because they know each other socially. My boys also massively worry about me reaching out to their teachers—to the point of panic.
High school guys are maturing and part of that process is not having mom or dad mingling too much in their affairs. Think of your boss emailing or chatting with your mom or dad. Sometimes communication is necessary but it’s something they do worry about.
4. Having friends.
Fitting in and having a social life is still a real concern in high school. Being accepted is a frequent worry of high school boys especially when friends drop them for other friends or leave them out of a group. High school is often a time where friendships develop over shared interests and activities, and many of these friendships last well into adulthood. But the fear of rejection and not fitting in persists with many high school boys. Even though it seems like girls might be more worried about the social aspect of friends and popularity, boys also care deeply and worry about this too.
5. Doing well in school.
Passing classes and getting where they want to go in life is a big concern for young men. Even though they may have the outward attitude of it doesn’t matter, it really does.
Grades become more critical with every year of high school. And for many, achieving a certain GPA determines if they can stay on a team or participate in extracurricular activities.
There are also outward pressures from family and peers, so the worry to succeed is very real.
