When your kids were still young, they were only ever afraid of the bogeyman. But as they grow up, they start to fear other things like public humiliation, social suicide, or just their crush seeing them with a zit on their face. It’s because of such fears that so many tweens become so self-conscious at their age. A shirt or a dress won’t look right until it’s perfectly ironed or specifically creased. Their hair can’t be parted in the middle; they need to have a deep side part.

You remember how it was when you were their age, too, don’t you? While we don’t doubt that your own experiences as a tween can help your kids understand that high school isn’t the end all be all, it sometimes helps to draw examples from popular films. Check out our list of epic fail teen humiliations and their eventual happy endings!