by Nicosia Johnson

Created on: June 18, 2008

Today's Teens, No Different than Yesterday's

These days every adolescent will experience the Teen HS Syndrome, otherwise known as Teen High School syndrome. Parents will become filled with anxiety and panic that it is time to deal with realistic situations and maintain hope that they have instilled the proper values in their children. Unfortunately, becoming a teenager is apart of life that will transition you into adulthood. Children go through eight years of elementary education and upon completion they are expected to take on the world in High School.

As life shifts gears, parents are required to adjust the way that they perceive things and become more aware of the current times. Things are constantly changing so the teen life that every adult has experienced differs from the teens of today, tomorrow and forever. There is no right or wrong way to parent a teen even with differing genres it is important to know that you can always find common ground with your teenager.

The first tip to parenting a teen is to always reflect on your days as a teen and remember what it was like for you but most importantly what you needed and did not receive from your family or community. The second tip would be to utilize effective listening skills with your teens, they have a way of telling us their needs without actually saying it. The third tip would be to make the most of every moment spent together because work and family can be complicated but something as small as a trip to the store can spark an unforgettable conversation with you and your teen. Most importantly find ways to express your love, they are never too old to receive hugs n' kisses.

Today's teens continue to seek the same thing that every generation of teens has sought which causes the Teen High School Syndrome that many parents mistake for emotional or behavioral disorders are in fact just normal teen issues. They are seeking our attention, guidance, love and respect. The problems of today are more complex but that does not diminish the motivation to raise a teen that can flourish and be successful in our society. As parents we must continue to provide our teens with a solid foundation, providing them with adequate social skills and efficient life skills that will prepare them for life.

As teens the journey of life is to have fun, fun and more fun. In some ways that could be a possibility if your teen possesses a value for who and what they are in life because that will never leave them no matter what they encounter. Always encourage them to "Think the impossible and they will never fall short of their dreams". Every life experience shapes us for our future, as parents that is difficult to accept because there are some life experiences that we want to shelter our teens from. Once again, would we not have been the person that we are today if it had not been for life experiences along with our parents teachings.
There will be some things that we can teach but overall, life is an experience and a teacher. Our teens will have their own path to tow and we need to be there sometimes to walk by their side and at other times to carry them through because that's what a parent did for me and you.

Learn more about this author, Nicosia Johnson.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.