Teen Issues
Teen Issues Essay
I do not believe any teenager will go through adolescence without some sort of trouble or confusion. I just believe it is important for the adults in the child’s life to offer support and structure. For a teenager to get through their teen years with as little turmoil as possible the parents need to start before they are teens by providing open communication and support. If a child feels they can go to their parents with any problem they are having it keeps them from seeking ill advice help elsewhere. When teens depend on other teens for their guidance it turns into the blind leading the blind. I truly believe no matter how good or bad a child should be able to discuss it with a parent without the fear of being turned away or put down. Structure also helps a teen from making decisions that may add stress to their life. Patterns set in place during childhood continue, ideally buffering some of the turbulence of adolescence ( Cleveland et al., 2005; Laursen &Collins, 2009). When having frequent conversations about world issues, drugs & alcohol, smoking, sex, and school, your child will know your stance on these subjects and your expectations of them. Knowing this they are more likely to take your feelings in to consideration when making decisions in life. Religion is also a great way to give a teenager another channel to solve issues or concerns they may be having. Religion provides meaning as well as coping skills (King & Roeser 2009). To have coping skills is very important and instrumental in any person’s life. It allows them to understand why life is the way it is and figure out ways to get through it without wanting to give up.
When trying to gain trust in teenagers you have to treat them the way you wanted to be treated. Though they may not be full grown adults they are not little children that need to be told what to and directed at every waking moment. They value their privacy the same as adults do and if that is disrespected an adult can lose the trust of their teen. An adult also needs to lead by example. If expect your teen to be drug free the parent needs to be drug free. Giving your teen a good example of what being an adult is will last with well in to adulthood. Helping an elderly neighbor or grandparent with daily living or helping the homeless will instill compassion and empathy (Teen Issues 2014 pp).
I think this generation of parents are too quick to