As adults, we often try to "toughen up" teenagers to prepare them for the world. However, there is immense value in the tenderness of youth.
Adolescence is often viewed as a "gallery" of firsts—first heartbreaks, first identities, and the first real looks at the adult world. It is "tender" because it is a period of raw sensitivity where every experience leaves a lasting mark on the canvas of a person's character. 1. The Vulnerability of Becoming tender teen galleries
In the modern era, the "teen gallery" is often literal. Social media platforms like Instagram or VSCO act as curated galleries where teens display their lives. As adults, we often try to "toughen up"
Teenagers exist in a state of "becoming." This stage is inherently tender because the protective layers of childhood have been shed, but the calloused skin of adulthood hasn't yet formed. It is "tender" because it is a period
Focus on the "tenderness" of the developing brain and the impact of social mirrors (the gallery of peers).