| The world of a teenager is filled with change. | | | | pick up a pack of cigarettes, will generally comply |
| Changing bodies, changing thoughts and feelings, and | | | | with the parent's wishes. A teenager however will |
| a changing role in society make it an exciting, | | | | question these rules, and will often decide to |
| uncertain and often confusing time both for the | | | | "experiment" with what was once always a taboo. |
| teens themselves and their parents. | | | | This is especially true if they observe others they |
| Much has been written about the changes teens | | | | have respected and admired doing the very things |
| face, but the role of a parent must change as well. | | | | they have been told not to do. |
| Pre-adolescent children naturally defer to the | | | | Fortunately, only a slight modification to your |
| authority of their parents. That is to say their brains | | | | parenting habits is really needed for making the |
| are literally wired for this. It is one of the reasons | | | | transition between being he parent of a child and the |
| human beings were able to survive for so many | | | | parent of a teenager. That is simply to practice the |
| thousands of years. In the wild, a child who did not | | | | behaviors you wish your teen to adopt. |
| respond to the wishes of their parents did not | | | | If you own habits contradict what you have been |
| survive very long. | | | | teaching them, this is the time for you, as a parent, |
| The adolescent brain, however, is wired quite | | | | to begin changing your own habits. If, like smoking, |
| differently than that of a child or an adult. The | | | | you are unable to make that change, then the |
| teenage brain is preparing for independence. | | | | second best thing is to sit down with your teenager |
| Questioning themselves and others, are part of this | | | | and explain to them why you do it, and why you |
| natural process. Teenagers watch and listen, and | | | | hope to spare them from the mistakes you have |
| from their own observations, are beginning to | | | | made. |
| develop a view of the world based on their personal | | | | Simply using the age-old parents creed, "do as I say, |
| experience. | | | | not as I do", simply will not work any more. |
| As an example, a child told not to touch alcohol, or to | | | | |