Comforting gifts like a weighted blanket or a subscription to a mindfulness app may help. “We can find ways to help manage that at home,” said Catherine Pearlman, a parenting adviser, author, and the mother of two teens. Many teens also feel the weight of the world on their shoulders, from the pressures of social media to academic stress.

But even as they’re engaging more with the world around them (think first jobs, community service, social activism), they’re still kids at heart, and they find joy in the silly and the absurd. “They’re starting to read more grown-up books, watch more grown-up movies, and play more grown-up games,” said Brian Mayer, a gaming, learning, and library specialist in New York City. Teenagers are also exploring and wrestling with more-serious adult themes. And they value their friendships more than ever. They’re attuned to what’s happening around them and ripe for new experiences and challenges. Ready to take on anything, teenagers are growing into their identities as young adults.

Popular card games for teens