Thank you OP.
Mum of two teens here
My DS is 14 but he's not like most 14 year old boys. He's a self confessed nerd (and proud of it), massively into flags and maps (he name countries on a world map with 99% accuracy and can name flags and national anthems too). He has Asperger's and other health issues. I worry about him because as he gets older (he's year 10), he could get picked on. He's had some bullying already. He's not fussed on girls yet. Luckily he has a good network of lovely friends who he has had since first year.
My DD is 16 and doing GCSEs soon. Knows what career they want and has pretty much for a job lined up.
However, lockdown destroyed them. My formerly if anything over confident and gobby kid is now anxious, overwhelmed and often cries. They have no confidence at all. Previously an average student, passed SATs at year 6 with no tutoring. Mocks were last month and they got 2s in everything. Now they feel defeated and that they will fail. School are great, I can't fault them. But Covid has literally cast a huge shadow on them.
Everything I say doesn't help. I've tried saying lots of people screw up their mocks, it will work out in the end but they don't believe it. It's like they may be 16 but inside they stopped at 13 and are still stuck there.
It's bloody soul destroying and lots of sleepless nights.
I always knew the teen era would be hard but I didn't foresee, as no one did, Covid and the damage it's done