Managing Teenager Angst

Teenagers are a tricky lot. It is difficult to predict what they are feeling and what they want to express. Their desire to assert themselves and create an identity of their own surfaces during this period and emotional storms are a normal thing. To a large extent their friends start exerting a considerably bigger influence on them than family.

While parents tend to be protective of wards in general, they are specifically worried about the new influences coming into their teenage sons/daughters. Again here fathers react differently to a teenager than the mothers. To understand this one needs to understand that for the father the son is basically coming into the age when he feels extremely comfortable to relate to the adultish pursuits while the mother views it as the child cutting his apron strings and moving out to 'other women' in his life who might be his classmates, girlfriends, lady tutors,etc.Their strong opinions,likes and dislikes color their judgement and often situations affecting or involving them tend to get out of hand.

Teenagers may view the love of his parents as 'conditional or 'restrictive' and rebel against it.It often comes out as
 "You do not listen to me"
"I do not have say in this house"
"Nobody cares a damn"
"No, I won't do this"
"Why can't I watch TV till late?"
"What's wrong with chatting with friends?" and so on................

Dealing with a teenager at home is almost like walking on eggshells.

Yeah, all parents out there

Take a deep breath and start again