Teen Time

First of all let’s just establish that not all teens are troubled neither do they have issues 24/7. They do not all do drugs or drink heavily, steal mobile phones or ipods (they have their own!), join gangs or succumb to peer pressure. To be honest I think our teens get a bad rap most of the time. In fact young people are more likely to become victims of crime than they are to become perpetrators. Teenagers are young adults emerging from a childhood of direction and manipulation to an adulthood of independence and decision-making. It can be a scary time for them, very confusing at times.
Parents can often miss the point; we focus on wanting our teens to stay out of trouble and to succeed. But we must understand that they cannot do that alone (no matter how confident and single minded they appear to be), they need your guidance and support. Your time, patience and understanding is needed, not just for a better relationship with your teenager, but for your teen to resist peer pressure, stay out of trouble and avoid alcoholic binges, use drugs or get depressed. Also a very good memory helps, when your teen starts to push your buttons cast your mind back to a time when you were his age; check out his attitude and check yourself in the mirror, you will at some point recognize yourself (him) and your parents (now you). This happens to me on occasion, and invariably diffuses the situation (for me at least – if one of us is calm a solution is easier to arrive at).
To develop the skills to resist and cope with the pressures of growing up, your teens need to know that they matter in your life and that they can come to you for help and advice. Your teen needs you - even if at times they act otherwise.