Relationships between Parents and Adolescents

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In America, the society runs on what teenagers want. From Nicki Minaj to the junior section at Sears, most of what the people see, hear, or touch is aimed at the teenagers. Being an adolescent is probably the most exciting and most popular time period in a person’s life. The teens seem to have it all, but what about the parents who raise them? The parents of the teenagers never get any credit during this time period, although they have every right to. Parents and teenagers should strive for a strong, lasting relationship for these years, though most times there isn’t one. The relationship between teenagers and parents is the most vital bond in the family because this relationship should and will prepare them for the next step in life. 1) A Changing Time Developmental effects are what make a teen a teen. At the beginning of adolescence, a teenager undergoes many changes in their life physically. In fact, sources have said that teens change faster than any other age range (Lindsay 22). They will “shoot up in their height” (Fenwick 15). A girl will start growing around the age of nine and ten and reach full maturity about age 16, while guys start at roughly twelve and reach full maturity around age eighteen. Teen weight fluctuates often as well. It might even double between the ages of ten and eighteen (Fenwick 16). For guys, this weight is mainly muscle but for girls, the weight is both muscle and fat (Fenwick 17). These changes do not always happen at the same time for everybody. The earlier developers are normally smarter than the standard and delayed developers. Also, they are taller than their friends, which for guys will make them popular but it will make girls feel like they don’t belong, and develop bad posture as a resul... ... middle of paper ... ...lth. August 2009. Web. 4 Feb. 2012. Mannheim, Jennifer K. Adolescent Development. N.p. 1997-2011. Web. 27 Jan. 2012 Piotrowski, Nancy A. Magill’s Encyclopedia of Social Science: Psychology. Volume 3. Hackensack, NJ: Salem Press, 2003. Print. Sallee, Heidi M. “A Parent’s Guide to Surviving the Teen Years.” KidsHealth.n.p. Web. 29 Jan.2012. Sheeber, Lisa B. et al. “Adolescent’s Relationships with Depressive Disorder and Subdiagnostic Symptomatology.” Journal of Abnormal Psychology. 116.1 (Feb 2007): 144-54. Web. 28 Jan. 2012. -01891-014> Smith, Anita B. The Communication Gap. The Institute for Youth Development. 2004. Web. 2 Feb. 2012 < http://www,youthdevelopment.org/articles/fp059901.htm>

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