Joanna Fortune: My teen daughter is anxious about leaving home for the first time 

In times like this, as with a lot of things, it is best to lead by example

The Gaeltacht is tension-provoking, but with support it will offer her a great opportunity to master a tension-rousing experience. Picture: iStock

My 16-year-old daughter is going to the Gaeltacht this summer. It’ll be her first time away from home, and she’s getting more anxious by the day. Two girls from her year, who are friends, are going to the same Irish college, but she doesn’t know them well. Any advice would be greatly appreciated

In my family, we have a special word to describe the sensation when feelings of fear and excitement collide. It’s “scited” (scared-excited). This describes that sense of anticipatory arousal when you feel fizzy with feelings about something that is coming up, and you know that you want to go or do it, but also feel un- certain or anxious about it because it’s new and may even feel overwhelming.