News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

Two new studies indicate that today's young people may be taking longer to mature than was the case with previous generations.

The first study, from Viacom Brands International, looked at attitudes of 25,000 people ages 16 to 46 years old, and found the "golden age of youth" is ages 25 to 34 years old. This group actually shares many of the attitudes of teenagers, except that they are less insecure and have money. More than 80 percent of those in the survey believe that the twenties are about exploring life and having fun, for example.

"What were the values of the baby boomer generation?" said Professor Debi Andrus of Calvary University. "They wanted their children to be children as long as they could. Well, guess what?"

The second study found that most of today's teenagers have unrealistic expectations and may be "overly" confident. A majority of those in this study believe that they have high IQs and are "A" students, and that they will become outstanding spouses, parents, and workers.

Psychology professor Jean Twenge said she believes that parents and teachers are the ones who helped inflate the egos of teenagers with "endless praise."

This study appeared in the journal Psychological Science.

Labels: self-esteem, maturity, confidence

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Peer pressure is a part of life for teenagers and adults. But because teens are trying to develop their sense of self, they are far more influenced by both positive and negative peer pressure.

"As a parent, you can help your child overcome such negative peer pressure. Step one is to help build your teen's self-confidence and positive self-image. Your goal is to lessen criticism while looking for positive accomplishments and chances to praise jobs well done."

Take a genuine interest in your teen's life. Do more than just ask what he's interested in - ask why. Strong family relationships will help teenagers resist negative peer pressure, so create a schedule that allows family members to spend time together eating dinner, playing games, and really getting to know each other. Source: American Counseling Association

Labels: influences, peer_pressure, self-esteem

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Amid all the "To Catch a Predator" shows and studies, parents often feel panicked at the idea of their teenage kids having profiles on websites like MySpace or Facebook. But recent research has found that most kids have a positive experience - especially the shy ones.

"Being social, the purpose of the [MySpace] site, is crucial to developing an identity. Adolescents adjust their behavior - and images - to positive and negative interactions with their peers. Rosen writes in his book that social flops, which can crush kids' self-confidence, are easier to shrug off, and social successes are easier to achieve on MySpace."

Larry D. Rosen's book Me, MySpace, and I goes on to say that many kids learn through social networking sites that talking and getting to know people isn't really that hard after all. Positive experiences can help build their self-esteem and make even socially awkward kids realize they know how to socialize and make friends. Source: MSNBC

It's important for parents to find a balance between the positives of online social networking and becoming addicted to the internet. Learn more about internet addiction at Video Game Addiction.org.

Labels: myspace, self-esteem, social_pressure

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Researchers at the University of Wisconsin/Madison have found several factors that increase the likelihood that a person will have sex at an early age.

These factors are advanced puberty development, low self-esteem, attention deficit disorder, parents with little education, and watching more than three hours of television per day. Each factor increased the likelihood of early sex by 44%.

"It isn't any one thing, it's cumulative," said Dr. Janet Hyde, a psychologist and lead author of the study. She and her colleagues believe that children who watch excessive television probably lack parental supervision. Lack of supervision is linked to early sexual experimentation, not watching television per se.

She and her colleagues studied 273 children at ages 13 and then age 15. Only one in ten boys in the study lost their virginity by age 15; among girls, the percent was slightly less.

This study was presented at the Society for the Scientific Study of Sexuality.

Labels: sex, self-esteem, puberty

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Teenagers may act like it's "no big deal" that they don't have heart-to-heart conversations with their parents, but in the privacy of counseling sessions many admit that it bothers them. In fact, research has shown that a teen girl's self-esteem is closely tied to her relationship with her father.

"If you want to become closer to your teenager, here are some tips. First, remember that their bravado is just that. It is meant to protect a still fragile, developing person. Second, remember that their dress and language, which may be off putting to you, is part of this armor and helps to connect them with their peers. We all had our own version and most of it is harmless."

Also remember that teen boys are much more comfortable doing stuff than just sitting around and talking. So schedule time to play his favorite sport, or go for a drive. Teens love to talk, sometimes they just need a little help getting started.

Want to learn how to text message your teen? Check out an article, Text Your Teen 4 Better Communication, to learn about the do's and don'ts of texting.

Labels: relationships, self-esteem, commitment

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Materialism in teenagers is linked to lower levels of self-esteem in teenagers, according to research form the University of Minnesota.

Professor Deborah John from the Carlson School of Management found that materialism increases in middle childhood and early adolescence (ages 8 to 13 years) and decreases by the end of high school. This mirrors patterns of self-esteem.

"The level of materialism in teens is directly driven by self-esteem," she wrote. "Self-esteem drops as children enter adolescence, when materialism peaks. By late adolescence when self-esteem rebounds, materialism drops too."

This study appears in the Journal of Consumer Research.

Labels: influences, money, self-esteem

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