Free Paper Sample Dedicated to Adolescence and Parenthood

Adolescence stands for the transitional stage that exists from childhood to adulthood. However, changes that occur during this period psychologically and physically tend to kick off earlier during the preteen years. The period can generally be described as a time of both discovery and disorientation in that it builds up issues of self-identity and independence. Most teens during this period and their peers tend to undergo a period where they are required to make a lot of tough choices regarding their sexuality, school, drugs, and social life.

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Towards adulthood, some of the significant revolvings around the life of teens center around appearance, peer groups, and romantic interests. In most cases, the issues persist between the teens and their parents who appear to be the barrier between how the teens want to shape their lives and how they want their character to be formed (Moffitt & Terrie 2017). The paper focuses on describing the relationship between parents and their teens and how it affects the child's decisions during the transition.

Importance of parental guidance

By the time most teens leave their parents' home, it's best if they are well educated and trained in how to take care of themselves. Some are lucky enough to learn all the necessary skills whereas others miss out on this and end up ruining their lives from the bad decisions they make during adolescence. Personality characteristics that exist among teens depict the main differences that exist between them and their fellow teens as well as their parents. Parents and teens are therefore advised to be aware of each other's characteristics to ensure that they can establish a stable relationship between them (Moffitt & Terrie 2017). Learning one's character allows them to predict how people act and the reasons for their actions.

Effects of parenthood on teens

In most cases, parents affect the deviant behaviors that exist among teens through their parenting skills and the structures they form within the family. As a result, most teens end up resisting their way of parenting in that they term them as restrictive and dictatorial (Simmons & Roberta 2017). A parent is expected to be a role model to their children and if a parent acts as the primary source of reinforcement most children are more likely to model them. However, whenever a parent acts negatively towards the child, the child is placed in a situation whereby they can either follow their parent's behavior or act deviant.

As teens grow they analyze the behavior of their parents both positive and negative and then choose whether to follow them or avoid them. Parents with positive behaviors often find themselves on the right side of parenthood when it comes to the period of transition whereas those with a positive attitude face challenges with the teen during adolescence. The contrast is because most of the parents with a positive character try to instill positive behaviors forcefully into the child and most times and up building up a negative resistance towards the child (Simmons & Roberta 2017). The parents often affect the social life of the child leading to resistance. Resistance among children often exists in a number of ways; adult authority resistance and social fitting in resistance. Both situations attract adult attention towards the teen by offending it leading to clashes between the teen and the parent.

The teens tend to assert individuality towards what the parent prefer and want for them, and in each case, they end up provoking their disapproval. This is the main reason why resistance has been given a bad name by adults specifically parents and a good one by adolescents.

Effects of adolescent rebellion

Rebellion has a number of effects on young people; it can cause them to rebel against not only their parents but also their self-interests. Rejection of self-interest, relationships, and activities play a significant role towards a child's self-esteem. It causes the teens to engage in self-defeating behavior or engage other teens physically (Simmons & Roberta 2017). It encourages them to reject safe rules and restraint leading to most teens experimenting with different behaviors with high-risk excitement. Rebellion forces teens to seclude themselves from those instilling positive behaviors hence pushing away those that care about them. Therefore adolescent rebellion is not a simple matter of aggravation by parents; it's an act of dependency which, if unaddressed, can become a matter of concern.

During my teen periods, my parents would disallow me to appear at most of the gathering organized by my pears advising me that it was for the best. However whenever I consulted my friends or met them at school their attitude towards the parties and social gathering was not negative at all, and most parents allowed them to visit. As a result, I finally decided to attend one of the parties and experience what happened to them first hand (Simmons & Roberta 2017). A lot of drug use occurred during the gathering, and most of the behavior that occurred within were harmful and could lead to severe consequences. To attend the party, I had argued with my parents who were against my attendance and eventually I was aware of what they were protecting me from. The next day my best friend informed me of a party at his house, and he expected me to attend. I advised him against it and informed him of the harm that the party could bring to him personally as well as his friends in general.

At the beginning go of the adolescent stage in most peers, parents can suffer unpopular changes towards them by the child (Moffitt & Terrie 2017). The changes are often uncontrollable and usually linked to the dynamics of adolescent growth. Within the wondering eyes of children, parents are defined as giants with perfections and powers that the child is expected to look up to and emulate.

Conclusion

During adolescence one begins to detach from childhood for room to mature, hence making them discontent and uncomfortable with being treated as a child. As the distance grows adolescents lose their closely congenial companions and at the same time they lose their adorableness within their parent's eyes. While growing up teens try to downsize the reputation of adults to their life hence they eye out failings and flaws which they can relate to as they approach the trial and error process. My experience enabled me to fit myself into my parents' shoes and discover that it's not overprotectiveness or dominance that forces them to act as they do. They act that way to ensure that as teens we stay away from behaviors that could negatively affect our social lives as well as education.

Work cited

Moffitt, Terrie E. "Adolescence-limited and life-course-persistent antisocial behavior: A developmental taxonomy." Biosocial Theories of Crime. Routledge, 2017. 69-96.

Simmons, Roberta G. Moving into adolescence: The impact of pubertal change and school context. Routledge, 2017.