Teenage Independence

Can you think of a time in your life when you felt you knew everything, were limitless, and free to purse your wildest dreams? If you answered yes, then you were probably thinking about the time period between thirteen through eighteen, otherwise known as the journey from adolescent to young adult. Part of an adolescent’s plight is to begin to move away from values, standards, and desires that have been forced on them by others. It is not so much of a rejection of standards and values that come from school, church, or family, but a movement to gain independence so they can begin to structure their own life. This newly inspired independence can stir feelings of rejection among those closest to the individual, i.e. the parents. Parent’s major …show more content…
The honest truth is that at this stage in their development you can’t. A major piece to growing up is learning to rely on your own feeling, self-control, and understanding as opposed to someone else’s. Adolescents are beginning to create their own path and will only rebel if you force them to accept others standards and beliefs. Control will only lead to power struggles that will negatively affect the relationship. Some parents will argue that there is a need to control their adolescent because they haven’t experienced the world yet and therefore does not possess the ability to know what is best for their future. I partially agree with this, even though they are developing independence they are not finished with their growth and still need you to guide them. However there is a big difference between being a guide and a controlling parent. I argue that setting guidelines and clear expectations for standards of behavior is the key in maintaining balance. Setting rules encourages adolescent to make wise choices because they are aware of the consequences of their actions. However flexibility of rules is a must if the adolescent has a reasonable reason. This ensures good communication, leads to mutual respect, and alleviates power …show more content…
The answer may sway a little between nothing and everything depending on the individual. Parents often worry that their children will take risks that will jeopardize their whole lives and naturally try to advise or guide them in order to prevent that from happening. When the adolescent neglects this advice some parents begin to force their will or start using power tactics to make their point. I argue that this behavior hurts the adolescent in the long run because it prevents the individual to develop mature decision making skills. It is hard watching someone you love make a mistake that you feel you could have prevented but it is more than necessary in this case. The role of parents is to teach responsibility and set an example of a responsible adult. If the parent constantly tries to protect the adolescent by controlling them they are preventing them from developing decision making skills they will need as adults. Adolescents need to learn from the experiences of their own actions and face the consequences of those