Children complain because that is what children do best. Then they grow up to become parents and continue complaining for the rest of their lives. Most parents exhaust their complaints department when their kids enter the difficult teenage years. The angles of parents and teenagers problems have been studied intently; yet we still lack a concrete answer to an important question – Are teenage years of adolescence tough for the children or for parents? One can only speak for oneself in such situations. That should not stop you from reading this article though.

Psychological support

Laurence Steinberg, a psychologist at Temple University said, “It doesn’t seem to me like adolescence is a difficult time for the kids.” He also said that most adolescents seem to be “going through life in a very pleasant haze.” This doesn’t mean that adolescents don’t suffer at all, because they do. Still, the narratives from parents usually point towards their teens being very troublesome.

The other side of the coin

A parent’s narrative of their teenager’s life can be greatly influenced by other factors as well. Divorced parents find it particularly hard to raise their teens in a peaceful manner. Further, parents who don’t have any interest or hobbies outside the house cannot concentrate on parental responsibilities. Moreover, evidence from different studies show that if a mother and daughter are living alone, the conflicts between them are more intense. Times like these call for self-reflection.

Beneath the rough parental exterior

Kids can be a blessing for parents with deflated egos, but can prove to be a curse for edo-powered parents. Why? Because children have a knack for showing a mirror to you when you least expect it. In simple words, they will tell you exactly what’s right and wrong with you. Beat that, adults!

• Stress games: Teenagers will challenge their parents’ authority to impress their individuality on adults. The misunderstandings created due to this tension at home leads to stress and this is where parents suffer the most. Like seriously, teenagers laugh in the face of stress.
• Ego strength: Parents have to let kill their egos and learn to cede some power to their kids. At some point the adults have to realize that their kids have to some aspects of their lives without them.
• Ask the children: Ellen Galinksky’s Ask the Children is an inspired survey of over 1,000 kids in grades three through 12. During the course of the interview Galinksky asked her interviewees to grade their parents. And guess what? Children from seventh to twelfth grades rated their parents less favorably than the younger kids.
• Breach of border: Kids have no objections when their parents try to enforce moral values and societal conventions on them because they know it is only fair to learn the tricks of the trade. Children will react strongly when parents try to regulate the more personal aspects of their lives.

Life in the danger zone

Teenagers nowadays face fewer dangers to learn anything about risk neutralization. So when teenagers crave excitement, they will create dangerous situations to satisfy their craving. Finding positive outdoor activities for teens can help them utilize their raging energy in productive ways. To be honest, raising teenagers is and will remain a stressful job. The good news is that time will eventually pass and you will see your kids grow into mature adults in the future.