Stress from Parents, Teenage Dilemmas
It’s not unusual for teenagers today to suffer from the effects of stress. Often, a large source of their stress comes from their parents.
That statement doesn’t mean that teen stress is caused by parents. Rather, the teenagers’ view of what they are, and are not, allowed to do can cause them stress. Of course, there are cases where some parents do impose too little freedom, or allow too much, and both of these occurrences can be cause for stress.
Society today presents teenagers with many choices. For a person to grow, it is necessary to let them make their own decisions, but that can lead to stress in a world where so many options are available. A teenager has very little life experience, and so they often have trouble meshing together what they think they should be doing, and actually completing whatever choice they have undertaken.
Without guidance, no thirteen or fourteen year-old will be able to make good decisions. Very few have the maturity at that age to make life changing decisions. The innate ability to organize yourself, make money, or raise a family does not come with birth. Instead, they are all things that need to be taught, and most teenagers do not yet have the skills required to complete one or all of those tasks.
What many people forget though is that teens are no longer children. Their knowledge of the world is growing, and they will have started to create their own set of values. Not allowing them to test their new knowledge and values can stifle their self development, so it is a delicate balance between guiding them and taking away their independence.
As a parent, it is difficult to find a happy medium. Too much independence leaves a teen feeling abandoned, while too little makes them feel that they don’t have any control of their life. Both alternatives are likely to cause stress for the teen.
When a teen begins commenting on the fact that they have reached an age where they can make decisions, parents tend to act in one of two ways. Some continue to see their teens as children, and state that as the parent, they will continue to make the decisions. Others decide to let the teens ‘sink or swim’, and stop providing any guidance.
A balance of both approaches is what is needed, though the challenge lies in knowing which is the correct approach in each circumstance. Teens can help their case though, and lower their stress levels in the process.
By proving their maturity by offering to take on extra responsibility is a good way to show that they have shed childhood, and are ready to begin moving forward.
Stress can be caused by responsibility, but only if the teen is unconfident, and doesn’t feel that they can handle the responsibility. Meeting a challenge with resolve will help to lower stress, and provide the skills needed in later life to deal with more complex issues.
If a teen does find that they are beginning to feel stress, they need to look at what it is that is causing them stress, and then make the decision to deal with, rather than ignore, the problem. Seeing it as a challenge, rather than an issue, is a good start. Occasionally, teens may need to begin at the start, if they have found something they tried failed. By trying again, rather than giving up, they will increase their knowledge, and their problem solving skills, which are vital in adulthood to help combat stress.
Introduction to Stress
Managing Stress and Your Health
The Effects of Stress
What Causes Stress
Causes of Stress at Work
Stress - How NOT To Deal with Stress
How to Deal with Stress
Stress Curing Techniques – How to Deal with Stress
Stress and Alcohol
Curing Stress – Pruning the Roots
Stress and Exercise – How to Relieve Stress with Exercise
Curing Stress at Work – How to Cure Stress at Work
Stress and Diet
Conquering Stress – How to Conquer Stress
Tackling Stress in the Modern World
Stress Guide and Info
Manage Stress Living Together with Your Partner
How to Deal with Parenting Stress
Stress and Money Issues
Managing Stress around the Holidays
Stress and Pets
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