How to solve teenagers problems 16 to 18 Years old
As a parent, you can put your teen's life skills and abilities to
work for their positive growth. Teach your teen to do their own laundry,
take care of their living space and practice driving by running some
errands for their family's needs. All of this will show your teen that
with independence and freedom, come responsibilities.
16-Year-Old Teens Form Close Emotional Ties with Friends and the Opposite Sex
The 16-year-old teen can get very emotionally attached to friends and the opposite sex.
They now have the ability to form strong attachments to others. But
teens aren't always able to use that ability or control their feelings
when, for example, the other teen does not feel the same way about them.
This can lead to some heartbreaking times.
I have to say, my own teen heartbreaks back-in-the-day were nothing compared to watching my daughter's first breakup.
You will also want to keep a close eye on any emotional manipulation that can happen at this age. Peer pressure
can be very tough to handle. Add some emotional manipulation by a guy
or girl whom your teen wants to date, and your teen may do things you
never thought they would. You can help prevent this by talking
about the choices they have when someone tries to manipulate them. To
start these conversations, use television shows as ice breakers, as
opposed to mentioning your teen's real-world friends. Trust me - you'll get father with your point.
The 16-year-old teenager is mostly interested in what is happening right
now and doesn't often look to their own future without prodding from
parents. It is too far ahead for them to worry about, so they don't. But
they will engage in a conversation about the different fun
possibilities that may lie ahead. They also tend to be happy with what
they are doing. They go with the flow and are socially active.
Seventeen-year-old teens are more in-control of their moods and
emotions. They form stronger relationships and are able to build strong
bonds with friends. No more flitting back and forth between cliques. They begin to see their future
and can feel both excited and apprehensive about it. The 17-year-old
teen has less conflict with parents but will still push for more
independence. They will act independently. Parents will see a difference
in maturity at this age, as 17-year-old teens tend to take more
responsibility for themselves.
A 17-Year-Old Teen's Moods Are Calm For the most part, a 17-year-old teen's moods are calmer than they were in earlier years. This is due to less teen angst and fewer growing pains. The fact that they have more control over what is going on in their lives and have gained some independence help keep the mood swings of younger years in check.
That doesn't mean that a teen will not be emotional when faced with a situation they don't have the social skills to handle or if a tragedy happens in their lives. Teens at this age lack experiences, and this lack can place them on an emotional roller coaster until they do gain some know-how.
For instance, a teen who gets a part-time job
and has to deal with a co-worker who undermines them by taking credit
for the teen's work will get angry. The teen who is not used to dealing
with difficult people at work will see the situation as unfair and may
do something wrong because of their anger, which could cause them to
lose their job. The 17-year-old teen will feel validated because of
their actions, but the fact remains that they are the one without a job.
Learning life skills and social skills sometimes takes this type of
trial-and-error experience as your teen's social and emotional
development continues to mature.
Seventeen-Year-Old Teens Look Toward the Future and Get Excite:The year of being 17 is a time for dreaming and looking forward to where your teen wants to go and what they want to do. The world is their oyster and they get to pick and choose the one with the biggest pearl. While they may be apprehensive, they are less so than when the future is imminent at age 18. Right now the future still seems like an exciting adventure.
Parents will begin to hear things prefaced with such words as, "When I go to college..." or "When I move out..." This is simply more of the same independence pushing that your older teen has been doing since they started puberty, except now they are beginning to have the life skills to actually make it happen. This is a good thing. Remember parents, we are working ourselves out of a job.
Push for More Independence and Need for More Responsibility
Teens will feel the need to be even more independent from you, and you may find that you enjoy their independence as much as they do. They enjoy having the freedom to drive to a friend's house or out to the movies. You may enjoy the fact that you no longer have to drive them around. By now, you have your family rules about drinking, drugs and other youth risk behaviors and you trust that your teen knows them and will abide by them. You'll still need to keep up the reminders and know where your 17-year-old is and what they are doing; this will help prevent any problems from cropping up.
The 18-year-old teen is on an identity quest into their future. They
want to figure out where they will fit in today's world. It is a time
for big change that comes with a lot of freedom and happiness, along
with feelings of nostalgia and apprehension. The 18-year-old is often
idealistic and enthusiastic about their future goals.
As this is the first year as a legal adult, the teen comes into their
18th year in a whirlwind that was childhood and tends to come out of it
more stable with some established independence and more of the
experienced life skills
they need as a young adult. After 18-year-old teens are are on their
own more - past high school graduation and on to the next step - they
tend to be more cooperative and understanding of others, including their
parents.
Socially, the 18-year-old has had intimate relationships and is aware of
their sexuality. They have kept one or two close friends from their
high school peer group but don't have as much of a problem with peer
pressure, since they are more able to assert their independence.
While peer groups have less pull on an 18-year-old, the teen may be
very influenced by their close friends or a relationship with the
opposite sex. They have an emerging ability to make independent decisions
and to compromise. This serves them well as they are forming new
friendships and intimate relationships. As boys and girls are looking to
their future, they are beginning to look at aspects in the opposite sex
that they may want in their future mates - even if they aren't "ready
to settle down."
The Future Is Here for the 18-Year-Old Teenager
The teen who has set goals and worked on life skills will be looking
forward to moving on with their future plans. They show self-confidence
and pride in what they have already accomplished - like obtaining their
high school diploma. They are enthusiastic about their next step and
tend to go after it with an idealistic and energetic gusto. This can
cause some turmoil if the teen is not taking in the whole picture and
also assuming the responsibilities of being a young adult.
While they are enjoying independence, they recognize that parents
have experiences and insight into what they may need to succeed.
Therefore, you will find your 18-year-old-teen asking you questions and
listening to your answers. Whether they choose to take your advice or
not they are paying more attention to what you have to say. Parents
often enjoy this time with their teen, which makes a lot of happy
feelings in the family.The teen who has chosen to enter the work world from high school
tends to mature very quickly, as they get a good look at the reality of
working, the cost of living and all of the responsibilities that come
with it. This 18-year-old may become angry about the harshness of their
lot in life or they may gain some resilience through the experience and
begin making better life goals.
This is also a time of pride for parents. After raising your child
you have come to the ultimate milestone and survived successfully. While
there may be heartstrings pulled during your teen's transition into
young adulthood, keep your focus on their success and try not to burden
them with any sadness you may feel, as this can cause some guilt
in the teen. Parenting, when done well, is a job we work ourselves out
of. Take pride in what you have accomplished as well as your teen's
accomplishments.
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