Adolescence is a phase when children go through several changes as they journey from childhood to maturity. It is likewise a vulnerable fourth dimension for children since they may experience several problems of adolescence, such every bit unhealthy behaviors, which may lead to significant problems after in life. Concerns about adolescent behavior are as well mutual during this time, making information technology difficult for parents to connect with their children.

Continue reading to learn about common adolescent problems and how you tin can assist your children avoid or overcome them.

How To Deal With Common Bug Of Adolescence

Adolescence is non an easy time for children or parents. The only way to deal with needs and problems at this age is to know about them and be ready to face them. Parent-adolescent conflicts that cause insecure and unstable feelings have a linear association with pubertal maturity. Understanding and dealing with these conflicts positively could help your kid be more responsible and social (one). Here is our listing of the near common problems, and their solutions that adolescents have to bargain with.

i. Physical changes

Concrete changes happen due to change in the teenager's hormone levels.

  • Development of full breasts in girls tin can exist awkward in the beginning. Girls may start to feel conscious most their figure.
  • Change of phonation and appearance of facial pilus in boys is perhaps the most prominent change that takes place during boyhood.
  • Acne is one of the major issues.
  • Musculus proceeds sometimes leads to excessive body weight in teens.
  • The growth of pubic hair in girls and boys.
  • Body odor becomes evident.
  • Girls start their periods.

Solution

The best style you can exercise to help your teenager get through the phase is to make them aware of these changes.

  • Explicate that it is normal for the body to change equally every teenager goes through it!
  • Assistance them conform to these changes – acknowledge the change and help them accept it.
  • Enable them to stay good for you and fit through a nutritious diet and exercise.

2. Emotional changes and problems

Hormones affect your teenager not only physically but also emotionally.

  • Adolescence is the age betwixt machismo and childhood. Teenagers are often confused well-nigh their role and are torn between their responsibilities equally growing adults and their desires as children.
  • They tend to feel overly emotional (blame information technology on the hormones). Just about annihilation and everything can make them happy, excited, mad or angry.
  • Adolescent girls are vulnerable to crying.
  • Mood swings are common among teenage boys and girls.
  • Bodily changes consequence in self-consciousness.
  • Children who hit puberty early may fifty-fifty experience weird.
  • Feelings of inferiority or superiority may arise at this fourth dimension.
  • Adolescence is the age when sexual feelings arise in youngsters. Feelings and thoughts about sexual activity tin can trigger a sense of guilt.

Solution

Puberty can exist an emotional roller-coaster ride. And information technology is normal. Hither is how yous can help your child deal with these emotional problems of adolescence.

  • Assist them to take care of themselves. Tell your teenagers that it is okay to experience the style they are feeling.
  • Encourage them to exercise every bit physical activity helps keep the serotonin (creates good feelings and happiness) levels up.
  • Let them talk. Listen to them without judging and avert giving them advice when they are non ready for information technology.
  • Share your experiences of puberty or allow them talk to an older sibling who has gone through the same. It will emphasize that it is okay to feel the fashion they do.
  • Indulging in a artistic activity can help them channelize their emotions.

3. Behavioral changes

Overwhelming emotions tin pb to impulsive behavior, which can exist harmful to your kid as well equally others. Mostly, it is just teen behavior that will concluding as long every bit their boyhood.

  • Adolescence is the time when children develop and practice their independence. This can give ascension to questioning the parents' rules (seen as belligerent) and standing upwards for what they believe is right (seen equally stubbornness).
  • Pregnant developmental change in the encephalon makes teens moody, tired and difficult to bargain with.
  • The raging hormones in teenage boys can fifty-fifty push them to go into physical confrontations. They would too want to listen to loud music.
  • As a part of their new-plant independence, adolescents may also want to try new things and take risks, resulting in devil-may-care behavior.
  • Sometimes, peer pressure and the need to 'fit in' can make them acquit in a certain way or develop certain habits that are difficult to break.
  • Your teen's dressing, hairstyle, and sense of fashion besides change, mostly to something that yous may non approve of.
  • The nigh troubling behavior is perchance your teen hanging out with problem children and adapting to a dangerous lifestyle.
  • Lying is one of the common teen behavioral issues. Teens may prevarication to avoid confrontation with parents or out of fearfulness.

Solution

  • Behavioral issues in adolescence can make life hard for parents. Just remember that it is a passing phase, and is entirely normal.
  • Gaining your child'southward trust is important if yous desire to help them with behavioral issues. Talk to them and listen to what they accept to say. Practise not judge or criticize them, as it could worsen their beliefs.
  • Let them know that you lot love them simply as they are. Encourage them to be truthful to themselves and not take on a personality merely to please others.
  • Remember that your boyish child is not completely independent in dealing with their emotions and needs your support. Help them past telling them what you do when you experience sad, angry, jealous, etc. They can effort those solutions to come out of their ain emotional issues.
  • You volition take to arbitrate if you run across them falling into bad company. Remember that adolescents are sensitive and may non have criticism well.

4. Substance Use and Corruption

Teenagers are vulnerable and can be easily swayed to the wrong side. Substance corruption is 1 of the biggest issues that parents of adolescents around the world have to deal with.

  • Peer pressure is one of the significant factors that bulldoze adolescents to accept up smoking and drinking or to exercise drugs.
  • The trend to accept risk encourages most teens to try smoking or drinking even before they are of legal historic period.
  • What may starting time as a 'thrill', can get a habit if it remains unchecked.
  • If in that location is somebody who smokes or drinks at abode, they can become your teen's role models.
  • Poor self-esteem and the demand to exist 'cool' tin push button adolescents to smoke or drink.
  • Like shooting fish in a barrel access to substances like cigarettes, alcohol, drugs, and anabolic steroids may increment the temptation to try illicit substances.

Solution

  • Proceed an middle on your child'due south behavior. Expect for erratic behavior and alter in their appetite, sleep patterns, and moods.
  • Do not spy on them or accuse them of whatsoever wrongdoing. Encourage them to talk and be honest. Tell them what your concerns are and discuss the problem with them.
  • If your kid is not willing to talk to you, the doctors can ask confidential questions to know if they are abusing whatsoever substances. Avoid going equally far as a drug examination, as that may come up across as confrontational and threaten the child.
  • If necessary, get your adolescent the appropriate treatment.

5. Educational challenges

High school is not all about style, friends, and parties. Children also have a lot of educational activities on their plate.

  • Pressure to perform academically and obtain college admission can be stressful and make your teenager moody.
  • Juggling school work, extra-curricular activities (must for college admissions) and chores at dwelling house can be tiring.
  • Distractions at school tin can outcome in poor bookish performance, which will add together to the pressure.

Solution

  • Support your child's aspirations for college instruction as what they need is the encouragement to do well.
  • Y'all could cut down their household chores to enable them to focus on their school projects when needed.
  • Nutrition and exercise can assistance them get the forcefulness and endurance they need to go through the hectic high school catamenia.
  • If you feel your kid is getting overwhelmed with his daily activities, cut downwards on a few tasks because adolescents still don't accept the lung capacity of an adult and get tired sooner than a grown-upward person.

half-dozen. Health problems

Adolescents are vulnerable emotionally and physically. Without proper nutrition and healthcare, they are susceptible to illnesses. According to a 2015 WHO written report, i.iii million adolescents died in 2015, a majority of them had preventable diseases.

  • Teenagers have a hectic schedule as they hop from 1 activity to another with little time to eat or balance properly. Unhealthy eating habits forbid them from getting the nutrition they need.
  • Consciousness almost their trunk can atomic number 82 to eating disorders, particularly in girls. Adolescent girls who worry nigh their weight and appearance can develop disorders like anorexia or bulimia.
  • Stress can as well atomic number 82 to loss of appetite and sleeplessness in young children.
  • Unhealthy eating habits and a less active lifestyle could also lead to obesity – this is often the instance when your child consumes a lot of empty calories through fast food and sodas.

Solution

Parental guidance tin aid abate health problems in adolescence to maintain a good for you lifestyle. Pb by example and encourage your children to eat good for you food, do right and sleep on time.

  • Ensure they get nutrition through their meals. Give them a balanced diet.
  • Be at that place for them emotionally and physically as this will assist them bargain with any possible disorders.

seven. Psychological problems

Enquiry has revealed that around 50% of mental health disorders that adults have, begin at the age of 14. In fact, one-third of adolescent deaths are suicides triggered by depression (2). If your kid is overly moody and is not eating or sleeping at all, it is imperative you get professional help for them.

The well-nigh common mental health disorders observed during adolescence are anxiety and mood disorders. Social phobias and panic disorders are mutual among this age group. Girls may tend to accept more vulnerability to develop depressive disorders than boys (iii).

  • Teenagers may accept cocky-esteem or conviction issues. The feelings of inferiority or superiority often arise from their appearance, and credence of their body – skin color, beauty, and effigy.
  • Poor performance in academics and low IQ can also demotivate them. They develop the 'I'm not good enough' mental attitude towards life.
  • Depression is 1 of the common psychological problems associated with adolescence.
  • The stress and pressure of adolescence can create feet related issues, while mood swings tin can lead to bear disorder or oppositional defiant disorder.
  • Eating disorders are also psychosomatic as they starting time with the adolescent having a poor self-image and the need to modify the style they look past any means.

Solution

While moodiness and atmosphere tantrums are normal in teenage girls and boys, they may not ever be what they seem. Identifying symptoms of psychological problems in boyhood is not easy and needs the eye of an expert.

  • Nigh of the time, talking about the problems and maintaining a good for you lifestyle can prevent the onset of depression.
  • If your child is overly moody and cynical, it is time to intervene and seek professional person aid if necessary.
  • Sometimes, your teenage girl or boy may be unhappy merely at home, and doing fine exterior. Talk to the child's teachers and friends to know if they are moody and disoriented at school besides. If they are, then it is a crusade for business organization.
  • Do not brush away their feelings, as that can make things worse.
  • Encourage them to communicate with you. For this, you demand to talk to them. If you think your child would not have it easy, talk to them in the car where the chances of confrontation are fewer as you are not confront-to-face up.

8. Social problems – dating and relationships

Attraction to the contrary sex activity begins during puberty. Adolescence is the time when their sexual or reproductive organs get-go developing. At such a vulnerable time, it is but natural for teens to experience awkward in social situations.

  • Teenagers desire to accept an identity of their ain. They tend to look upwardly to role models at home or outside.
  • Adolescents also first thinking about what is 'right' and 'wrong' and question your take on certain things.
  • They demand fourth dimension to sympathise and get comfortable with their sexuality. Girls and boys start experiencing 'weird' feelings towards the other sexual practice and may not know what to do well-nigh it.
  • This is the time they first dating. Your adolescent may not be comfortable talking to y'all about it and may go with lilliputian information or misinformation they have about information technology.
  • Competition is another important aspect of a teenager'south social life. Your kid may compete with her peers in anything and everything. Their spirit of competition speaks a lot about their perception of self – whether they have a positive cocky-esteem or a negative one.
  • Sexual feelings and thoughts of sex may seem wrong to an adolescent, because of which they may feel guilty.
  • Their social circumvolve expands during this time as they seem occupied interacting with friends on social media sites, through their phone and exterior.

Solution

Here is how you tin can deal with social problems of adolescence –

  • Dating, romance, and sex are frail issues that your teenager may not be comfortable talking about. Don't make it more bad-mannered for your child. Be confident and rational when discussing the field of study.
  • Your child may seem to spend more than time exterior than with you. Accept that your adolescents are discovering a whole new world. Just let them know you are there when they demand you.
  • Sharing your dating and social life experiences in school tin can put them at ease sometimes.

9. Sexual wellness – unplanned pregnancy and STIs

The development of secondary sexual characteristics during adolescence gives rising to new feelings in teenagers and pushes them to experiment with their bodies.

  • Adolescence is the time when teens feel their first osculation, the intimate dance with their 'young man' or 'girlfriend' and secret make out sessions.
  • Without proper guidance, teenagers may become sexually active before they are set. This could result in unwanted pregnancies. Unwanted pregnancy is the biggest take chances that adolescent girls face.
  • Unprotected sex tin can also lead to sexually transmitted diseases similar HIV.

Solution

  • Have 'the talk' with your child every bit they may already be learning about sexual health and reproduction at school. Your duty as a parent is to ensure that they empathize the importance of safe sex.
  • The hormonal changes in teenagers may brand them deed impulsively. Your teen may non like it but it is important that yous talk to them nigh the consequences of unprotected sexual practice and how it can change their life.
  • Awareness is the but fashion to forestall early pregnancies and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) in adolescents.

10. Addiction to net

The appearance of social media has inverse the way nosotros interact with each other. It has affected teenage lifestyles the most.

  • Your teen may seem to spend hours on telephone, texting, talking or only playing.
  • Adolescents fond to the cyberspace tend to accept fewer friends and a less active social life. They lead solitary lives and are happy browsing the internet for hours. (4)
  • Addiction to cyberspace besides cuts curt their physical activities, resulting in an unhealthy and sedentary lifestyle.
  • Cyberspace addiction adversely impacts bookish performance.

Solution

  • Do not assume that your child is addicted to the internet just because he or she spends a lot of time in front end of the computer. They could be doing more productive things on the system other than surfing the net.
  • Do not say 'no' to the Net. That will only make them adamant. Instead, talk about your concerns and aid them work on other things that do non require a figurer.
  • You could apply parental controls, but that may not be taken well by your teen – remember that they are non kids anymore. At the same fourth dimension, they may besides non take the judgment to make the right choices. And so guide them as a parent, merely never decide for them.
  • Enroll them in activities that encourage them to interact with others. Have family unit activities that will make them want to spend less time at the estimator.
  • Have some cyber rules and boundaries for everybody at habitation. Limit the use of the mobile phone to a few hours in a twenty-four hour period, and avoid bringing the phone to the sleeping accommodation as it is likely to affect a person'due south slumber.

xi. Aggression and violence

Assailment is particularly a concern with boyish boys. Young boys start to develop muscles, abound tall and take a coarser, manly vox. In addition to that, they are moody and vulnerable and can let others get under their skin.

  • Boyish boys can go into fights at school.
  • Worse, they could start bullying others, which is a major problem that adolescent boys and girls have to bargain with.
  • Boys may fall into bad company and be drawn to acts of violence, vandalism, and aggression. They could be easily swayed to own or use a firearm or a weapon too.
  • Impulse acts of violence tin can pb to serious consequences, including decease. According to the WHO study, interpersonal violence causes effectually 180 adolescent deaths effectually the globe.
  • Teenage girls are likely to endure violence or aggression by a partner.

Solution

Children tend to imitate what they see at home. The following remedies for problems of adolescence will help abate aggression, violence and related problems.

  • Teach your children to be kind and considerate. Nurturing relationships at home can help them become less aggressive.
  • Preclude access to firearms and alcohol early to prevent violence.
  • Teach them life skills and the importance of compassion. Lead them by being their model.
  • Avoid exposing them to vehement stories, games or movies at an age when they cannot differentiate betwixt what is correct and wrong.
  • Make them try alternative ways, such every bit going for a run, doing yoga or using a dial bag, for venting out their anger. This way, they understand that it is alright to be angry but how they deal with information technology makes all the difference.

When You Know, You Tin Aid

Parents play an important function in adolescents' behavior development (5). Educating your teen about possible problems and their solutions can have a positive impact. Understanding their feelings and giving suggestions could reduce conflicts than beingness judgmental or rude to them.

Setting up clear rules on bad behaviors and drug utilise may help your teen stay away from information technology. Establishing good and friendly communication with your child can encourage them to speak up about their issues to you and seek your help.

Y'all may have been a teenager yourself. Only in one case you go a parent to a teen, you seem clueless. Think about it – your adolescent is at an age that you accept already been through. Exist compassionate and endeavor to empathize what your child is going through. That makes dealing with their bug easier.

References:

MomJunction'southward articles are written afterwards analyzing the research works of good authors and institutions. Our references consist of resources established past government in their corresponding fields. You can acquire more almost the actuality of the information we nowadays in our editorial policy.

The post-obit ii tabs change content beneath.

  • Reviewer
  • Writer

Michelle Bowyer is the founder of Ocean Grace, a center for therapeutic counseling, behavior intervention, and relationship services. She is an accredited social worker with a Masters' in Social Work (MSWQ). With over twenty years of feel in providing support and interventions to children, adults, and families across three different countries, she aims to support parents, teachers, carers, and families... more

Sagari was a math graduate and studied counseling psychology in postgraduate college, which she used to sympathise people better. Her interest in reading almost people fabricated her take up articles on kids and their behavior. She was meticulous in her research and gave information that could be of help to parents in times of need. An fauna lover, vegan, and... more than