We all are familiar with the terms teenage and teenagers. Technically and scientifically speaking, teenage is the period of a child from thirteen years to nineteen years of age. It can be addressed as the transition age between childhood and adulthood and unlike any other age of transition, periods of transitions are always chaotic and somewhat problematic. It is during the onset of teenage that the children go through lots of changes physically and mentally and thus, handling their own self becomes quite a task for them as well as the parents. To tackle this trouble there needs to be input and effort from both sides. The cooperation from the parents helps and goes a long way.

Some common problems teenagers face.

Coping up and dealing with their Parents-

This is probably the very 1^st problem that a teenager would face as we all have while growing up. The parents are the closest to their children in the process of their all-around growth and development. But as the children grow up, and move towards their teenage, they tend to face a very common problem with their parents: the generation gap. This causes a serious problem of adjustment between both parties. The children feel that their parents are not able to understand them properly. It happens that mostly during the teenage years there is a constant push and pull among them regarding all the aspects of life. What they seek all the time is greater autonomy, or to put it simply, greater independence and less interference as they like to call it. Living on parental terms and conditions becomes hard for them as it is during the transition of the teenage years that they begin to explore themselves and learn more about themselves as individuals. They are somewhat trying to establish their own identity. And in this very process, they find it difficult to manage their emotions.

Teenage Health Issues-

A serious problem during the teenage is health issues. A teenager is very vulnerable mentally and physically. The hormonal changes are a major factor in this cause. Some causes of the common health issues they face might be because they have a very hectic schedule to be followed in school and other co-curricular activities. In the midst of all this, they have very less time to rest well, and on top of it, cravings to have unhealthy processed food are another cause of concern for their health. Also, many other hormonal problems like acne and obesity are serious problems for many teenagers, that in most cases lead to a lack of confidence in many. Not only physical health but the teenagers have to also deal with a lot of mental health issues. Especially in today’s world issues like social media pressure, cyberbullying, and competition with peers. Stress is another health degrader in children. Studies have found that teenagers today face a lot of mental issues like anxiety, depression, extreme stress, and numerous others. 

Teenage Society Problems-

In the stressful period of teenage, another kind of serious problem they face is the problems relating to society. To be precise the social pressure. Teenagers tend and like to be inside their own glory bubble and do not want anybody to intervene in it. They do not like being told how to live their life because during their teenage years neither they want to live by the way of their home or school or society. And especially being told what to do and what not to do irks them the most. Also, teenagers are at such an age where they tend to question every authoritative statement being conveyed to them by their elders.

Apart from the above-mentioned issues, there are several other issues that a teenager might face and that is why we need to be more empathetic towards our Troubled teens. There are many other problems related to teenage. To conclude, we can say that teenager is a very complex age to cope with. It is stressful for both parents and children. Though the parents can follow some tips to keep a check on the rowdy behavior of their teens and cope with them-

Tackling the teens

Every parent tries to become their child’s best friend but becoming a teenager’s best friend is a tough task. But here’s a helping hand with a few tips to be a teen’s favorite mom or dad. Although it is not a task to be achieved overnight but with the right amount of patience and perseverance it can be achieved.

Connect with your teen- connecting with your teenage kid is probably one way to deal with troubled teens. Before losing your calm, try getting in the shoes of your child and understand the reason behind that certain behaviour. Remind yourself that it is a normal part of the teen behaviour. Take a deep breath and then respond. Try not to take your teen’s actions too personally. Remind yourself that this is a phase that they are going through and in the end, they will have to become an independent and responsible young person. 

Establish rules regarding respect- As discussed, how normal it is for the teen to behave rudely to you. But as parents, what you can do is set some rules regarding the area of respect. Tolerating continued disrespect from teenagers would be harmful to you as well as the child. Therefore setting certain boundaries regarding respect would be healthy. Remind them that they can express their concerns, opinions, dissatisfaction etc. in a normal tone and with respect.

Loosen your grip- Too many parents make the mistake of tightening the grip on their teens as a result of which rebellion takes place. The parents should at times trust their kids and let them explore and make certain decisions. This will lead to learning and development in a real sense. When the kids will see their parents trusting them and not being authoritative then automatically the teenager would behave normally and lovingly with their parents because all they seek at that age is some amount of trust, love and to be treated like an adult.

The teen years are filled with many challenges for the teen as well as the parents, but dealing with them in a planned and correct way would be beneficial. The challenges might be unlike anything you’ve ever faced but when the above-mentioned pieces are followed, they can be the most rewarding years of your life with your teens who won’t be ‘troubled ’as well.