Early Teenage Problems

Last evening while talking to my 12 year old sister, the subject of boyfriend/girlfriend came up. It was a shocking revelation that kids of her age are involved in relationships at such a delicate age. I mean, what does a 12 year old know about relationships? How can they even judge the opposite gender's intentions/character? In short why is this actually happening? The probable reasons I could gather of this fast track advancement, or I'd rather call it degradation are summed up underneath:

1. HORMONAL CHANGES : During adolescence a lot of hormonal changes take place, making the child extremely hyper and short tempered. It becomes the duty of those around, to make the child realize his/her potential and channelize their energies in a positive direction. They need an adult's insight to their qualities so they don't feel worthless, as children at such an age tend to feel. Confidence building should begin during this phase only.

2.PEER PRESSURE: It is one of the major causes of all teenage problems because the kid is not able to choose his/her friends wisely. Their peer's tendency is to make them feel outcasted if they are not following the latest trends, not dressing up a certain way or not having boyfriend/girlfriend. This makes the child feel outdated amongst his/her age group as a result of which, they yield in to the pressures, deviating from the correct path without our knowledge.

3. MOVIES AND TELEVISION: What they watch has a permanent impact on their developing mind frame without their acknowledgement. They believe in all the lovey dovey stuff and often try to implement it in their real life without even knowing the practical consequences. It is our duty to moderate the content they watch as much as we can without their feeling obligated by us. Or what we can do is, make the Frank Talk without shying away.

4. PARENTAL PRESSURES : A teenage child feels that his/her parents expect too much from them, whether it's about studies or moral grounds. Sometimes the parents even ask them to stay away from the opposite sex and not even talk to them. What I don't understand is then WHY do they admit their kids in CO-ED SCHOOLS then? Stopping them is not the solution. Be a friend and discuss everything, rather than bringing everything under the suspicion scanner. Let them talk their mind and you must listen with an open mind. It works the best because restrictions make them more curious.

5. FAMILY PROBLEMS: in certain families the result of a sore relationship between their parents make them seek love out of their home. If there are troubles, it clouds their perception of their parent's love for themselves. It should be taken care by the mother-father/siblings to avoid fighting with the younger ones around and provide them a loving environment at home. In case of depression or other emotional complexities, professional help should be sought, without any hesitation.

A teenager should be provided with sufficient love at home so that he/she knows that they can share everything with their parents or brother/sister. Being an elder sister I wouldn't want my sister to face anything in her life which might cause an emotional hindrance in her growing up years. Lets protect our younger generation, so that they don't blame themselves for any wrong decisions later on.