Fill in the blank with a suitable word.

Dealing (1) pressures and in middle school can (2) difficult. The pressure may be to take friends, earn good (3) , excel in sports or other activities, and deal with hectic schedules.

More and more people are going to high school now and it is becoming tougher to get in. Middle-school students face (4) to keep their grades up every day. They are in a (5) with their peers to be the best and the brightest in everything.

During the teenage years, children will (6) the pressure to grow up. No longer will they be able to act (7) a child and not worry about responsibilities. Their (8) should help them make this transition from a child to an adult easy and teach them to (9) wise decisions. Prepare them for the world ahead of them and don’t let go completely at (10) . Gradually let the growing up occur.