by V. Z. Marcus

Created on: September 24, 2009   Last Updated: September 27, 2009

Adolescence can be a trying time. Anyone who has ever experienced it will remember the enormous changes that took place both physically and mentally, and can recall the feelings that accompanied those changes. As a teenager, one begins to develop a certain outlook on the world that shifts from the relatively small view of their childhood, outward into the greater scope of early adulthood and what it means to be grown up. Teens will do things and say things that reflect this newfound mindset, and at times, may not be very responsible or considerate in the process. In an attempt to discover themselves and determine their place in the world, teens tend to overlook the advice given to them by their parents, and instead look to other sources as a way to make sense of things

Consider the teen whose parents have raised them to believe that working hard is the only way to make it in the world. The teen acknowledges this to be the teachings of their parents, and that it is probably true, but doesn't necessarily jump in outright subscription to it. Something else in their life might lead them to believe that there are alternatives to being successful in the world, and that working hard and getting good grades might not be the only way. This in turn could result in the teen not getting a job and pursuing some other form of activity which contrasts heavily to an honest days work. It's this systematic rejection of the teachings of their parents which reflect a desire to see things for themselves, even if it means going against what they know to be right. It doesn't mean that they are bound to turn into reckless adults, it means that in order to determine who they are as individuals, they must experiment with alternatives.

Teens often find it difficult to accept the advice of an authoritative source such as a parent , and at times they will ally themselves with the advice of a friend or person of the media. In an age where information is so readily available on the Internet and television, it's no wonder some teenagers will construct their own belief systems solely on the advice of someone they don't even know. It's a normal thing for a teenager to rebel and elect to follow something different than what their parents might advise, and it's important that parents understand this tendency.

The adolescent years bring about rapid changes in the body in mind, all in a relatively short period of time. In order for a teen to satisfy his or her curiosities with the world we live in while dealing with the affects of what it means to be in between a child and an adult, they will do things that don't always correlate with the advice given to them by their parents. Growing up is a learning process which involves forces that require a person to be an individual and to experience things for themselves, and it doesn't always mean taking everything at face value. If parents are patient, they will find that the most important thing their teen takes with them into adulthood is what they have learned from them, and that even though they might stray in terms of advise, they will always keep in mind what their parents have instilled in them.

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