Have you ever looked at your teen and wondered if by some chance an unknown hostile being had suddenly taken over their body? I mean how could such a loving, sweet smelling and cuddly baby suddenly turn into such and angry and unfriendly child so fast? Do not despair˳ You are not alone˳
Many parents and guardians agree that the teenage stage could possibly be the most confusing and conflicting time of children’s lives˳ The sheer enormity of what teens have to deal with these days is certainly overwhelming˳ Unfortunately, these issues are not going to go away anytime soon˳ They may even get worse˳ So what are we to do to help them through this trying stage? In this article, we will go into the world of a typical 21st century teen, look at just a few of what they are faced with and see what can be done to make life easier for us all˳
Social issues of the modern day teen
• Peer pressure
It is a known fact that man is a social animal˳ So are teenagers˳ They want to be like their friends or famous celebrities, we all at one or the other went through that stage˳ Peer pressure could actually bring out positive traits in a child˳ Depending on who they are “hanging out” with, they could actually become interested in good activities like sports or crafts˳
However, when the influence makes the teen do, say or act in a way they wouldn’t normally then there could be a problem˳ It could manifest in a drastic change in hair or dressing style, music tastes and so on˳ A major danger of peer pressure is the deep desire to be accepted or to impress˳ When the aim is not achieved and the teen is rejected even after trying so hard it leads to major internal conflict that could last a lifetime˳ This takes us to the next issue˳
• Self esteem / confidence
Your child may feel that the only way to be accepted into the “group” is by acting and looking like the “group”˳ If accepted into the group, teens would naturally do all they can to remain in˳ Sometimes even doing things they have specifically been raised not to indulge in˳ On the other hand, failure to be accepted would make them feel inadequate and unwanted˳ Feelings of self doubt and anger would follow˳ Lashing out suddenly, wanting to be left alone are some signs of rejection and low self confidence˳
• Cyber bullying
Most adults, including me, have experienced bullying incidents at one time or the other while growing up˳ It’s almost like a rite of passage for school age children˳ Sadly, advances in technology have made it transform into something so sinister, even the authorities cannot fully protect teens from˳ The ease with which the Internet can be accessed by even pre-teens is frightening˳ Social media platforms like Twitter, Facebook and MySpace have made it possible for people who have major issues in their personal lives to prey on youngsters˳ Many of these online predators are sometimes decades older than the kids they attack˳ The internet gives them the perfect opportunity to mask their real identities and many times they get away with these disgusting attacks on teens˳
• Violence in media and games
I shudder when I see the kind of games and cartoons available these days˳ Blood flows freely everywhere and body parts are littered on the floors˳ There appears to be no escape as even the news shows violence on T˳V˳ Cartoons which used to be innocent and clean have become a major avenue for depicting acts of violence and decapitation˳ Popular games hardly have any one scene without an act of violence of the other˳ Kids are encouraged to take an active part and win by using any means available to “kill” their opponents˳ You soon find that even while playing with each other teen siblings or friends commonly use violent phrases they learnt from these media to communicate˳ They even practice these acts on household pets to the shock of their parents˳ The message being passed seems to be “kill, hurt and maim” and quickly too!
• Sexual pressure
Sex is everywhere you look and trust me, the teens are looking whether they want to or not˳ The pressure to get rid of their virginity is unbelievable˳ Many parents are still uncomfortable to have “the Talk” with their teenage kids˳ The children have no choice than to turn to their friends for answers˳ Too many then end up engaging in what they are really not ready for˳ No wonder teenage pregnancies and STDs are steadily on the rise each year˳
• Substance and alcohol abuse
Let’s face it˳ Teenagers want to look cool˳ A stick of cigarette, a shot of alcohol and a dose of pills are not that difficult to get anymore and the age of users is getting younger˳ Addiction quickly follows˳ It is now rare to meet a teen that has not tried at least one of these substances yet˳ This is a particularly nasty and life threatening danger if not quickly checked˳
So what do we do and how can we protect these precious lives in our care?
• Do not blame yourself if your teen has gotten entangled in negative habits˳
• Shouting, screaming, crying and other outbursts of emotion would not help and will most likely push the child further away from you˳ Learn to speak with them in a calm and gentle tone˳ It’s hard when you are screaming inside but it works˳
• Take time to understand what your child is feeling, make them realize you are there for them and will always be NO MATTER WHAT˳
• From a very young age, encourage your kids to speak out their opinions and make little decisions around the house˳ This helps boost their self esteem˳
• Talk to them about sex as soon as they begin to ask questions about male and female body parts˳ Let them know in details the implications of sex as they grow older˳
• Install parental control measures on their internet and Television access˳
• Encourage them to bring their friends home˳ Interact with their friends without being judgmental˳
• Treat them with respect˳
This article is by no means exhaustive˳ There are still many things out there teens contend with but with a little care and understanding on our part, we can greatly reduce the effects on them˳
Source by https://ezinearticles˳com/?Common-Social-Issues-That-Teens-Face-Today&id=9017041
