Traits & Characteristics of Teens

Easily Influenced

• Teens are much more easily influenced than their younger or older peers. This is due to a unique aspect of teenage life: the drive to understand oneself. In a sense, teens are lost in this world. Rarely does a teen have a clear plan for her future, but the teenager̵7;s need for a sense of self-identity still drives her to act, rather than simply observe the world. A teen will find her actions through observing others. While parents are aware of peer influences, they may not realize they themselves are important role models to their teens, too. Many of the emotional management skills of teens come from their parents, not their peers. For example, a mother who cuts off connections with her friends after arguments shows her teen that the appropriate response to social conflict is to run away, a lesson teens will often apply in their lives. Thus, it is important for moms and dads to be aware of how they act in front of their teens, lest they teach the wrong lesson.

Childish Maturity

• Teens are both mature and childish. Their maturity stems from an almost fully developed brain, giving them the thoughts, needs and impetus for adult actions. But according to medical health officer Dr. Paul Martiquet, author of the article ̶0;The Teenage Brain,̶1; their childishness comes from a combination of lack of experience and an underdeveloped frontal-lobe portion of the brain, the part of the brain that controls logical decision making. This paradox of the pseudo-adulthood of teenagers is what makes them so difficult to raise, in comparison with younger children. On the surface, teens act like adults, but underneath, they are choosing their actions in a childish way. Parents should embrace the adult-like thinking and acting of their teens while still observing and monitoring them, protecting them from making poor decisions.

Need for Acceptance

• Younger children have a need to be accepted by their parents. Teens, contrarily, don̵7;t care so much about how they appear in their parents̵7; eyes. Instead, teens are focused on how they appear in the social arena their peers have created. This need for acceptance amalgamates with their susceptibility to peer pressure, leading to stark changes that many parents might not expect. For example, a teen who joins a new clique might completely change his wardrobe, way of speech and extracurricular activities. He might even take up illegal activities, such as substance use and vandalism. Parents should be on the lookout for glaring changes in their teens and stay aware of who their teens hang out with. Parents do have the final say on what their teens can do outside of school and the home.

A Physical Focus

• The teenager̵7;s newfound focus on the human body is two-sided. On one side, teens̵7; hormones drive them to pay attention to the opposite sex; their desire to experiment with dating and possible sexual interaction often comes at a time when they are not mentally mature enough to handle such actions. On the other side, a child in her teen years is highly focused on her own body and how she appears to others. Both of these aspects can make teenage life stressful, both for child and parent. Children who were overweight in their preteens, for instance, might suddenly start hating their bodies. Parents should keep careful watch over their teens̵7; health, as it is this phase in which teenagers tend to throw healthy behaviors out the window.