1980s Teen vs. 2010 Teen

Life in 2010 looks very different to only 30 years ago.

Fundamentally, the teenage life is the same with puberty and peer pressures leading the way, yet as listed below by our new writer Amy Sheaves, access, awareness and acceptance of issues facing our teens is entirely different.

The purpose of this report is not to act as a scaremonger, but to bring about awareness of the harsh reality that is the 2010 teen world. Thank heavens this is not every teenager’s world, but I guarantee every teenager you know will know someone who is caught up in or confronted with one of the issues listed below.

I encourage you read through this carefully if you have teens in your world and take steps to steer them through the labyrinth of this crucial decade. After all, it is supposed to be ‘the time of their lives’…let’s as parents, as aunties, as uncles, as grandparents, as godparents and as friends help them navigate well. It has been said, that it takes a village to raise a child…for me that has been true and my child is still being raised. Asking the hard questions and gathering wisdom, advice and up to date information has been imperative. As a mother of a 15 year old I know that they are looking to us, whether they are willing to admit it or not, for boundaries, guidelines and a moral compass.

Michaela.

After reading through what seemed like hundreds of articles on this subject, I am confident to suggest the re-emergence of the nuclear family (which, by the way of course comes with its own challenges) would reduce the problems facing our teens exponentially. Essentially, core pressures teens were facing 3 decades ago compared to today are unchanged. For the purpose of this report, let’s call them the BIG4.

They are:
1. Sex
2. Alcohol
3. Cigarettes
4. Drugs

The major shift in the last 3 decades has been in the presentation, access and motivation for use.

PRESENTATION… While drugs such as marijuana, cocaine & ecstasy once reigned supreme as the most popular, recreational drugs used amongst teenagers, a phenomena in the late 90’s emerged as ‘Pharm Parties’. As the name suggests these are parties/get togethers, where prescribed drugs are exchanged and ingested in order for intoxication. Alcohol is no longer only used for personal intoxication, but drinks can be ‘roofied’ (aka date rape drug) in order to drug another person (un-aware) for the purpose of assault. Victims often wake up disorientated and unable to recall certain events that took place while under the influence of the drug.

ACCESS… We are far more technologically advanced than we were 30 years ago. Internet, cell phones, and worldwide information at our fingertips have made it easier for the BIG4 to enter your teenager’s world. It is on a much larger scale than 30 years ago because the use of technology means we get it faster. A teenage boy, curious about porn, no longer has to work up the courage to walk the aisles of his local paper shop. At the touch of a keyboard, he can access unlimited pornographic images in his home, more often alone in his bedroom. This is not limited to boys alone. Our teens have come of such an age where decision making is now only a one-step thought process: ‘Do I want it? Yes. Then…have it’. While porn is just one example, the list is endless and access to the BIG4 is more attainable with procurement becoming easier, faster and anonymous.

PURPOSE… Traditionally, the experimentation of the BIG4 was due to the statutes of peer pressure amongst teens. It would be naive to suggest there were less happy teenagers yesterday than today. What you can presume though is, a lot of unhappy, insecure teens as the result of family dysfunction and the unnecessary pressure it places on the children and teens of those families. I can’t clearly state this is the result of the nuclear family gone bust, but rather, a by-product of how the average family is built to think and act these days. Priorities have shifted incredibly and even if you echo what was once the nuclear family without a doubt the role of the mother and father has changed unrecognisably. Logic can only assume a full time working parent or indeed 2 full time working parents (albeit working to make ends meet – which by the way is a relative term) place ‘parenting’ on the ever increasing to do list, as opposed to the mother whose full time function is to run the family and the house. No person wants to feel second best, least of all in a parent/child relationship. Add to that the complexities and insecurities that form during the teenage years and you are headed for disaster.

Amy.

Other issues facing teens today:
Financial worries – aware of the financial pressures on parents.
Sexting – hi-tech mobile phones used to send pornographic material.
Social networking sites – another arena for bullying.
Suicide – media focus is a constant reminder of this option.
Over scheduling – extracurricular activities, part-time jobs, etc.
Eating Disorders – a distorted view of or dissatisfaction with himself or herself.
Violence – many influences including films and games.
Media – a constant bombardment of what they should be, do and look like.
Sleep Deprivation – according to recent study, teens need as much sleep as a toddler.
Cutting – a popular choice amongst teenage girls.
Sexually transmitted diseases – precautions are not always taken and conditions untreated.
Depression – prevalent today.
Abortion – social stigma is no longer.
Obesity – uneducated food choices, eating habits and/or lack of exercise.
Teen Pregnancy – the median age for teen pregnancy in the UK is 14.

These issues listed could all be articles in themselves. We will be writing about each topic in the near future. Until then, many of these will be discussed on upcoming episodes on RealLife Radio with Susan and Friends. I encourage you log on, listen in, join the chat room and have your say. Everyone has a story and everyone’s views differ. We would love to hear from you as we endeavour to pour light on important issues facing our treasured teens.

Michaela.

Tagged as: Amy