What we expect of teenagers right now is not just absurd, it's obscene. They're forced to live on a schedule not right for (most of) their bodies, resulting in constant sleep deprivation.

And we expect them to...I remember talking to one kid who had to get straight As. If she didn't, she was *grounded from everything except school for at least a month, often longer*. Because she got one C, in her worst subject and, according to her, it was her worst subject because it had the worst teacher. And I mean "No phone no computer no friends is that book you're reading for school" grounded. She got As in everything except that one subject. It wasn't good enough for her parents.

My parents expected me to get As in my GOOD subjects and I would get an earful if I didn't, but they knew I was never going to get As in French and didn't expect it...not that they were perfect, but at least they didn't do that.