Teenagers Articles

Are Parents The Cause Of Teen Suicide?
What drives a teenager to commit suicide? Is a dysfunctional family the cause of teen suicide or is it the peer pressure, low self-esteem, stress, access to drugs, guns, or an unyielding desire to make the pain disappear. Teenage suicide has and is becoming a pandemic in our country and around the world.

According to the National Youth Violence Prevention Resource Center, "teen suicide is the third leading cause of death among teenagers -- almost 2,000 teens kill themselves each year." It is estimated that "over 90% of teen suicide victims have a mental disorder, such as depression, and/or a history of alcohol or drug abuse."

Our youth has become entrenched in an ideology doled out by those who seek to control, persuade, and coerce our teenagers. At the same time, communication between parent and child has become, in most situations, non-existent. This leaves teenagers to fend for themselves in areas they are too immature to understand, or too eager to become engaged in activities which can lead them astray.

There was a time when teens came directly home after school; were greeted by at least one parent; studied; had a family dinner, and off to bed. Today, the term “latch-key kid” has become the norm, rather than the exception. Teens arrive home late; often to an empty apartment or home. They engage in computer games, while eating junk food; and often do not see their parents until morning – and only because they are late getting out of bed. Homework is secondary or non-existent. One can argue a two income household is necessary; but at what cost? Furthermore, if you’ve ever graced a public school environment, you would find teens lack even the rudimentary necessities of life; yet, cell phones are tucked in their worn out jeans and skirts.

The music, movies, and educational system have let down our teenagers in the most rudimentary way. They lack guidance and care. Our child services, our family courts, and our caregivers have offered little to assert the importance of self-worth. Over the years, the make-up of the "family" has dramatically changed. A teenager’s family could be his gang members who, on a daily basis, feed into the destruction of that teen. Morality has become passé, and they have become self-absorbed in an underworld of hatred and self-loathing.

Have all teenagers talked or even thought about suicide? No. However, the statistics are still frightening. A teenager doesn't suddenly choose to die unless something terribly wrong has pushed him/her over the edge. We cannot allow them to choose that endgame. Teenagers do become depressed, alone, angry, hopeless and helpless. As parents, as friends, as educators, as guardians of this precious commodity - we cannot allow them to succeed in what they think may be in their best interest. They must be given a reason to live, to love, to become needed and useful members of our society.

As adults/parents, we must educate and interact with our youth in a positive, caring and thoughtful way to ensure they have the proper tools with which to grow and gain empowerment. To do less would without a doubt contribute to the cause of teen suicide, the ultimate tragedy.

Are you concerned your teen is or may be getting out of control? If so click here to get some help from someone who has been working with frustrated parents for over 20 years!
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Does Your Teenager Have An Eating Disorder?
One of the most difficult jobs that a parent can experience is the important task of raising a healthy, confident, and goal oriented teenager into early adulthood. However, all to often our young children run into serious problems along the way through being a teenager. One such problem that may stay below the parent's “radar” are eating disorders.

Are you worried that your teenage son or teenage daughter may have some type of eating disorder that they are trying to keep from you and the rest of the family? This type of disorder can be quite common during the teen years, especially with teenage girls. Although we do see teenage boys go through some eating problems as well.

With so much emphasis on looks and popularity today and mixed with the already insecure feeling that teenagers have as their bodies are changing, developing an eating disorder may be an underlying problem in your teen’s life. It is important to understand and educate yourself on the two major types of eating disorders that many of our youths may be going through.

If you suspect that your teenage son or daughter has any type of problem at all, first talk to your doctor. Be hesitant about trying to correct the problem by yourself at first.

Eating disorders always stem from another underlying problem and so by focusing on food as the issue, you will more than likely make things worse for your teen instead of helping him or her. In fact, studies have shown that early discovery and treatment of eating disorders will provide the best chance of recovery.

What eating disorders should you be concerned about? The first is anorexia nervosa. With this disorder, your teen may experience excessive weight loss due to self-starvation. As ironic as it seems, most teenagers prone to this type of eating disorder are typically involved in sports such as dance or gymnastics, where their body size and weight play an important role in success.

The second eating disorder described here is called bulimia nervosa. This involves very frequent episodes of binge eating which is almost always followed by purging the food through self induced vomiting. It doesn't sound pretty but if your teenager has this eating disorder then they are probably practicing this with most, if not all of their meals due to intense feelings of guilt and shame about food.

Are you concerned your teen is or may be getting out of control? If so click here to get some help from someone who has been working with frustrated parents for over 20 years!
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5 Tips To Help You Talk To Your Teen
One of the greatest feelings about being a parent is in knowing that your teens can talk to you about their feelings and everything else that’s going on in their world. Establishing this great relationship with your teen requires good Communication.

It is an ongoing process that takes a lot of patience and understanding on your part as a parent. Once you have established an open line of communication with your teen, it will be easier to deal with any other kinds of issues that could show up.

Your teens are going through a period in their life where they feel a strong need for becoming an independent person and working on creating a separate identity. They usually express these needs by acting distant, defiant, disinterested, emotional, and rebellious.

These are the times where you have to remember to be very understanding. Although they may appear to be indifferent and uninterested, they are actually very perceptive of your reactions, what you do, and what you say. And they certainly want to be able to talk with you about what’s going on in their life.

With that in mind, here are some of the things that you should look out for when talking to your teen.

1. Stop nagging. It never works! You will never get your teen to listen to you by nagging. Doing this just closes the door to any attempt of communicating with them.

2. Do not always try to solve your child's problems. A lot of times, all they really want is for you to listen to them and let them know that you are there to help. Often, just by letting them talk to you about their problems is enough to give them comfort. And not offering any answer gives them a chance to figure out the solutions for themselves.

3. Do not criticize. You’re supposed to build up their self esteem, not tear it down. Letting your teens have control in areas like the clothes thy wear, the music they listen to, or their hairstyle gives them a feeling of acceptance and the assurance that they can talk to you with more complicated matters in their lives.

4. Do not give a lecture or a speech. You need to give your teen a chance to respond and talk to you.

5. Do not underestimate them by saying that what they are going through is just a phase. You have to be able to acknowledge that they have a problem and it is a big deal to them.

Are you concerned your teen is or may be getting out of control? If so click here to get some help from someone who has been working with frustrated parents for over 20 years!
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Teens and Alcohol
It's the standard at every weekend party: a case of beer, a keg, many hard liquor bottles and mixed drinks. Alcohol is everywhere these days, and teens (as well as adults) can't keep their hands off it. Teens are getting drunk just about every weekend during the school year, and even more during the summer.

But why do teens insist on drinking? Is it peer pressure? Is it the thrill of doing something illegal? Do they think it will make them cooler in the eyes of others? Most likely, it's one (or more) of these reasons. Teens are easily pressured into things. Almost all of them want to be accepted, and are willing to do just about anything to gain acceptance. Even the smartest student in school could very well be giving in to peer pressure, drinking, doing drugs, and having promiscuous sex.

Most Parents wouldn't like to think of their child being the one to give in. "My child is smarter than that," they say. While it is quite possible your child is very intelligent, it takes a very strong willed teen to just say "no." The fact is that most teens will give in to peer pressure at one time or another, whether it be with alcohol or something else.

Parents need to be on the watch when it comes to their teens. Make sure you know where they're going and verify that parents are going to be there. This will likely assure that drinking will not take place, but it is still a possibility. Make sure your teen knows the consequences and dangers of alcohol over-consumption, such as liver damage and alcohol poisoning. Teens usually have a different attitude about it if their parents explain to them the effects of alcohol. Parents work a lot better than health class in school, and can be more personal.

Are you concerned your teen is or may be getting out of control? If so click here to get some help from someone who has been working with frustrated parents for over 20 years!
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Problems Facing Today's Teens
Teen problems are growing. If you think that being a teen today is the same as it was when you were in their shoes, you are probably mistaken. Now, listen to yourself say how strict and how hard life was when you where young. But, you need to realize that teens today face huge, life threatening decisions just about ever day. What they face has a lot to do with where they grow up. Yet do not be fooled into thinking that your child is safe.

In the normal course of your teen's day, he or she may face any of these things; one or more of them.

Drugs

Think that drugs are simple like they used to be? They are not. Kids today are not just smoking the easy stuff. They are into crack or other strong and deadly drugs.

Sex

Not only are they exposed to it on the television, but they are encouraged by others. They may be engaging in sexual acts that you have never heard of. They may be doing it unprotected as well. At school, after school, on the car ride home - there are many opportunities you do not realize. Teens get pregnant and have babies.

Violence

Today's teen problems often revolve around violence. They see friends with guns at school or after school. They witness huge fights. They hear threats. They see anger and deal with it daily.

Depression

With all that they see and do, teens face depression today at an alarming rate as compared to just a decade ago. Depression is not something that just goes away, but can cause them harm and threaten their lives.

Driving

Teens drive drunk. Teens drive under the influence of drugs. Teens get in cars that others are driving under the influence. Teens may also be responsible drivers, but share the road with those that are not.

Teen problems that are at a lower level can be just as deadly. They face lying, cheating, emotional trauma, learning disabilities and divorce. All of these things a child will face daily in some cases. In those cases, it is no wonder that they have low self esteems, high drop out rates and some of the students will break under the pressure. Teen problems should be addressed and noticed by their parents first.

Are you concerned your teen is or may be getting out of control? If so click here to get some help from someone who has been working with frustrated parents for over 20 years!
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Follow Your Teen's Dreams!
As parents, we often complain of troublesome three year olds. Three year olds are troublesome because they are developing from babyhood to childhood.

Teenagers get the same reaction - developing from childhood to adulthood is not an easy transition, and so much communication can be lost along the way, especially with parents, who could, with a little effort, be the teenager's best friend....

A certain understanding of the roots of a problem, and a lot of acceptance can bridge so many gaps and ease the changeover from a 3 to 5 year old, or indeed a 13-20 year old.

But how on earth do you find the root of the problem when you hardly know what the problem is, and your teenager certainly isn't going to reveal it to their parents. In your dreams!

The solution is to 'not' focus on the problem - we know in our hearts that focusing on a problem will not find the solution.So what do we do? We ignore the problem, or more to the point, we put it on hold.

The most certain way to communicate with anyone is to ask them what their dreams are, what they want from life, how they visualize themselves in the future.

Get into their space:

Many teenagers will be dreaming of celebrity type status, footballer, singer, film star. And before you decide for your teenager that these dreams are unattainable, remember someone's got to be doing it....

Find out what your teenager is interested in, ask them what they dream about, and go with it. Yes enjoy it with them. Let them dream and then help them on their way.Even if you're absolutely convinced in your heart that your teenager has no acting ability or can't kick a football to save their lives, that's not for you to judge.

People achieve stunning things in this world, wouldn't you love your child to be one of them. A happy fulfilled individual able to share his or her success with the rest of us mortals?!

How many of us grow up with firm beliefs that we aren't capable of achieving our dreams because someone at sometime told us we didn't have what it takes?

Don't let that happen to your loved ones. Following your dream should be an enjoyable experience. Most 'successful' people will tell you it's not the goal but the journey that counts. You need the goal though to be able to begin the journey.

Find out what your teenager is dreaming about....

Don't make the cringing mistake of making their dream something you're particularly interested in. Your teenager won't respect you for this and will more than likely be embarrassed by it.

The best way to help with the dream path, is to take the steps logically, one tiny step at a time. Sit down and discuss the possibilities and the impossibilities. Make some notes together. Buy a homework book to note dreams and goals. Take it seriously.

Do a little research, and come up with the first step in the process. Maybe you could download free scripts from the internet to practise acting skills at home. Have fun acting out the films and learn while you play!

Is there a local football club your budding football star could join and train on Saturday mornings?

Don't be afraid to NOT achieve the dreams. I was always told 'you'll only get disappointed when you don't make it.' Well, hey, a little disappointment and a slight change of direction isn't nearly as devastating as never fulfilling any of your dreams and resentfully working in a job you hate for the rest of your life.

Keep an open mind, we change our minds and ideas as we grow older, take on responsibilities, change our careers... It's perfectly okay to change your goals and dreams, and this should be clearly stated when you first chat about the dreams with your teenager. As long as you don't ridicule the idea, you will find a way.

A series of events while pursuing an acting career, could so easily lead to the individual wanting to polish up his/her writing skills. And what's wrong with that? The contact and experience was necessary to find the right path towards fulfilment. A less than brilliant sporting talent may result in acting the part in the next blockbuster!

We can't predict the future, but we do all have a perfect right to pursue our dreams and be happy in our lives. The happier we are, the more happiness we share with others, and the happier they are!

Are you concerned your teen is or may be getting out of control? If so click here to get some help from someone who has been working with frustrated parents for over 20 years!
Article Copyright By Author. All Rights Reserved Worldwide.