We've all been there, struggling with the inner (and outer) turmoil that is a fundamental element in the journey from childhood to adulthood. We tentatively watched the mirror as our bodies slowly changed shape, looked on in horror as hair began to sprout from places we knew were there but had never paid much attention to before, and scrubbed angrily at those stubborn puss filled lumps that always seemed to take residence on our faces just when we had made plans for some social gathering or another. We experienced emotions that were as alien to us as our budding sexual impulses, and agonized over parental, school and peer group issues.

Every one of us has fought this adolescent battle to some degree, yet when the time comes for us to guide our own children through their teenage years we often forget just how difficult this stage of life really is. Reflecting on our own bumpy ride through puberty with the benefit of hindsight can provide us with an invaluable resource for understanding where our teenagers are coming from.

The world has altered immeasurably over the last few decades, with technology blazing its frenzied trail towards an increasingly automated, connected and informed society. Our children and grandchildren have everyday access to gadgets that previous generations would only have observed in the realm of science fiction, but through all of this change, one constant underlying principle remains. Human beings in general, and teenagers in particular, need to feel that they are loved and valued for who they are.

Our teenagers may look and act very different to the way we did at their age, but they are experiencing all the same emotions that we had to deal with, and they need the same support and understanding that we expected of our parents and carers. They align themselves with groups of like mind and attitude because of the same need to fit in that we felt when we chose who we wanted to spend our time with. Many of us will have memories of the odd friend or two whom we now realise we were probably better off without, but at the time those people gave us something that satisfied a very real need.

Coming to terms with a new and insistent desire to befriend members of the opposite sex has always been a sensitive issue for young teens. I can clearly remember the effects of this pursuit on my self esteem, and how it altered my perception of how I should act and present myself on a daily basis. Now more than ever teenagers are confronted

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