How Not Having Hobbies Hurts Teens

Teenagers have many responsibilities, such as schoolwork, extracurricular activities, part-time jobs and household chores, but finding a way to incorporate hobbies into their busy schedules can help them gain self-awareness. Hobbies allow them to use their talents and interests to become well-rounded individuals. Without hobbies, some teens might get bored during their free time and develop lazy or undisciplined habits.

  1. Self-Discovery Is Lost

    • Without hobbies, some teens feel lost as they struggle to find what really matters to them. Hobbies help teenagers create and develop personal identities. Many hobbies require research, tutorials, supervised lessons and parental support, so they offer a sense of independence without promoting unlimited or unrestricted freedom. Robert Hedaya, medical doctor and clinical professor of psychiatry at the Georgetown University Hospital, says that teenagers "need novelty, but within bounds," in a piece on the "Psychology Today" website. Hobbies give teens a chance to explore sports, art, music, animals, technology, literature, history, electronics and nature in ways that are meaningful to them. As a result, they feel good about something that adds value to their lives.

    Boredom and Laziness, a Bad Mix

    • When a teen doesn't have any hobbies, it likely means he has too much unproductive time on his hands. Some teenagers get get bored and loiter at the mall; get addicted to video games, Internet sites and TV; or get involved with drugs and other illegal activities. Teens have to spend their free time doing something, so without hobbies, they might engage in behavior that isn't constructive or healthy. Teens without hobbies tend to gravitate toward other teens who don't have hobbies, compounding problems associated with boredom.

    There's No Spunk

    • Hobbies help boost teenagers' self-esteem. If a teen doesn't have any hobbies, she might feel ungifted, incompetent, out of place, awkward, unskilled, dull or unintelligent. Even if a teen isn't an expert at her hobbies, she can grow and develop those skills over time. Hobbies help students gain confidence so they can perform, create and compete without feeling weak or insignificant. Parents can help their teens engage in hobbies by giving them room to grow and change their minds. A teen might love horseback riding one year but decide playing the guitar is her new passion.

    Being a Loner Isn't Fun

    • Teenagers who don't have any hobbies often have difficulty building friendships because they can't find common ground with their peers. Sports teams, dance teams and musical bands are social outlets that enable teens to build relationships with others who have similar interests. Even single-person hobbies, such as collecting coins or stamps, woodworking, sewing or reading, open up opportunities for joining book clubs, getting involved in collector's clubs or taking group lessons. Hobbies give teens a reason to connect with others who share similar interests.

    2. Previous:

    Next:

    • Problems Faced by Teenagers
      When a child becomes a teenager, he reaches an interesting point in life where he faces a number of internal and external problems. Not only is he in limbo between being both a child and a young adult at the same time, but he faces new pressures from
    • How to Create a Family Reward Chart for Good Behavior for Teens
      Researchers at the University of Alberta School of Public Health found in 2009 that problem teens may be more likely to grow up into problem adults, according to a 40-year study of more than 3,000 people. To ensure your teens take the opposite path,
    • Factors Affecting Self-Esteem in Teens
      The teen years can be a rough time for your son or daughter. Teenagers bodies are changing continuously as they continue to go through puberty. As a result, teens may start comparing themselves to those around them. Since not all teens of the same ag