TEEN CELL(episode 1)

When I was in secondary school, the parents of one of my very good friends back then sent her to boarding school which was totally out of her liking.

I remember how this friend of mine spent almost all the first term wondering from home to her boarding school and back.

There was even a day she forcefully came to our “day school” crying. She never loved boarding school and never wanted to go there in the first place.

I saw my friend go through torture as she battled with the situation.

After the back and forth of the first term, she returned to our school during the second term. Thank God her parents realized and came to a compromise.

Every one of two teenagers always goes through one of such situations in their lives where they have to battle with their parents or guidance concerning their future, education, relationship, or other related issues.

Why it is always a battle?

Let’s find out!

Teenagehood( from 13–19 years of age) is a transitional phase in a child’s life. It is a period of change from childhood to adulthood and such transitioning doesn’t always come easy.

Biology helps us to understand that teenagehood is usually accompanied by physical changes caused by hormones that react to a child’s growth and maturity.

These changes do not start when you are a teen: According to research from the Health network, it can start as early as 8 for some, or late as 13 for others.

Whatever the case, changes in children move to their peak during teenagehood.

Not only are these children affected physically, but they are also equally affected mentally, psychologically, emotionally, and all other wise. Children during this period of growth start feeling the need to be independent.

They start to feel they have come of age to make their own decisions as seen in the case of my friend. And most often, parents translate this to mean “disobedience” and “disrespect”.

Teenagehood is a very crucial stage in a child’s life. How the parents, guidance, and even the teenagers themselves handle it is what is important.

Parents, this is not the period to “impose” on your children as though they are 5, not knowing left from right. It is the period where you teach them by explaining, giving the reason for your decisions, and asking their opinions about things that concern their lives and yours.

When a child starts maturing, give them room to explore their growth and do not make it difficult for them by “always being in their face”.

Teenagehood can be an enjoyable time for you to build a firm relationship with your kids and bond better but sadly enough, the reverse seems to be true in the world today.

Teenagers, it is high time you understood that you are only starting to mature and not yet mature. So you should learn to listen and obey no matter what your hormones prompt you to do.

While parents, take it easy on your kids. Growth is a process, and so help them by holding their hands as they go through.

To be continued…