Experts talk about those trying teen years. Parents are pulling their hair out….and we all need to understand that normal teenagers are often moody due to hormonal and physical changes that are happening in these puberty years. Is it truly drama as we all like to say, or is it normal behavior in trying to figure life out? We always say as adults we learn from mistakes, but when our kids make mistakes we tend to lean toward a punishment and call it peer pressure and drama.
As a middle school teacher, I saw my share of “girl drama” that is for sure. It consisted of spreading rumors, fighting over text, social media, dating your best friends ex-boyfriend, arguing with one group of girls against another…that is DRAMA…..however, life lessons in getting your heart broken, turning to friends, gossip, drinking at your first high school party, experimenting with sex or drugs is a statement toward separating themselves from their parents and getting a taste of independence.
What parents will start to see:
- Wanting privacy starts
- Embarrassed to be seen with parents
- Spending more time with friends then family
- Hours spent on social media (now this can be drama)
- Trying to be independent and making many mistakes while doing so. (don’t worry, they will always need your shoulder to cry on)
As a life coach, I have years in helping tweens/and teenagers overcome these and similar issues that lead to depression, low self-esteem and help gain the tools needed to grow into a young adult. Life is about learning and finding your right path. Contact me for a FREE 30 minute phone session to see if I can help your tween/teen. http://www.BeckyShafferliveinconfidence.com
This is when what we call “All the Drama Starts”……..
- A phase of new experiences, and what may seem small to parents or adults may be a big deal to a teenager experiencing things for the first time.
- The heart breaks begin, fights with friends and the ever can’t prevent peer pressure of what to wear to school, having to go to a party, wearing THAT name brand.
- Episodes of sadness, anxiety, frustration and feelings of overwhelmed start to be very visual at home.
- As a parent we compare our teen to our teenage years, which is such a NO, NO…….
All teens go through similar phases — the need for independence, a separate identity, testing authority. It’s part of growing up; it’s also linked to developmental changes in the brain that will eventually help them become analytical adults.
But today’s teens get an extra whammy — social pressures come earlier than in previous generations. We have social media to thank for this, but we can blame ourselves for not setting the rules or really teaching our kids how to use the technology that many throw at the kid as sadly the new babysitter.
Becky Shaffer—-Adolescent/Adult Life Coach
http://www.BeckyShafferliveinconfidence.com
https://www.facebook.com/BeckyShafferCourage/?ref=bookmarks (please like my facebook page)
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