Teenage boy on phone listening to music

Teen Life

A teen's life is a roller coaster of ups and downs. Your teenager may start dating and driving. They'll look at colleges and maybe even get their first job. But many teens also have to deal withpeer pressure,overloaded schedules, and, of course, puberty—when their bodies and moods seem to change by the minute.

The trick is to encourage teenagers todevelop autonomywhile also lending support when it's needed most. By learning about all the challenges facing today's teens, you'll be better equipped to help them organize their busy lives andset goals for themselves. With a little extra empathy and communication, you canbuild new bonds with your teenand set them up forsuccess as students, friends, and young adults.

常见,stions

  • What is the hardest age for a teenager?

    It's different for every teen. The'tween'and early teen years may be hard as they deal withhormonal shifts, body changes, and acne. Boys start puberty between ages 10 and 16 and girls begin puberty between ages 8 and 13.Ages 16, 17, and 18 may prove challenging as academic demands pile up inpreparation for college.

  • What is important in a teenager's life?

    Friendshipsare important to many teens, as they are biologically wired to venture beyond the nest for human connection.However, they still value support and validation from trusted grown-ups. Research shows teens' stress levels dip more dramatically in the presence of parents than with friends.

  • What’s the best part of being a teenager?

    The teen years are a great time to try new things. Teens have moreindependencethan children but most aren't burdened yet by financial or familial obligations. This frees them up to explore a wide variety of hobbies or potential career paths. You can help teens find their calling by signing them up forinteresting extracurricular activitiesorsummer programs.

  • What are some of the common struggles of teenagers?

    Today's busy teens have a lot on their plates. Some struggle with balancing technology and schoolwork or dealing withpressure to succeed from parentsorcoaches. Others grapple with loneliness, which can be tied to excessive screen use.It's important to keep tabs on yourteen's mental healthby checking in with them often and seeking professional help if needed.

  • What are typical behaviors for a teenager?

    Though maddening to parents,mood swingsare typical in teens, as new hormones circulate to prepare their bodies and brains for adulthood. Risk-taking behavior is also common, tending to rise dramatically in early adolescence and peaking in the late teen years.Enforcing consequencesfor actions that put your teen or others at risk can help keep negative behaviors in check.

  • Why is teenage life difficult?

    Some 70% of teens say they are stressed.While your teen might be enjoying new freedoms like dating anddriving,他们也可能是应对荷尔蒙波动s, increasing academic demands, andsocial drama. Plus, though they are often exciting, major life transitions like entering high school,heading to college, and working at a first job can be daunting, too.

Key Terms

Two teens looking at a cellphone
9 Signs You Should Restrict Your Teen's Smartphone Privileges
Think twice before letting your teen get a tattoo.
Is It Safe for Your Teens to Get Tattoos?
Teens making flatbread pizzas in kitchen
Activities That Will Keep Your Teen Busy During the Summer
Chore charts can inspire teens to get their chores done.
How to Keep Your Teens on Task With Chore Charts
Muslim teen being bullied in school
What You Can Do About Religious Bullying
Get your teen active this spring.
50 Fun Spring Activities for Teens
Friends making selfie outside school
The Top 10 Social Issues Teens Face in the Digital World
Teen girls talking
Teen Slang Words Every Parent Should Know
Male high school student asleep in class
How You Can Help Teens When They Are Overscheduled
Smiling graduate and mother on front stoop
How Parents Can Lead High Schoolers in the Direction of Success
Female high school students using mobile phone during the class.
Creative Ways That Teens Are Using Technology to Cheat
Four teen girls walking together at school
10 Ways to Help Your Teen Adjust to a New High School
Violent video games can influence the way your child behaves.
Are Your Child's Video Games Too Violent?
Encourage your teenager to vote.
At What Age Can My Teenager Register to Vote?
Teach your teen how to grow a garden.
令人惊讶的原因你应该开始一个加尔省en With Your Teen
一个可以教会你的孩子responsibil课外的工作ity, but there are drawbacks to employment.
What Are the Best Part-Time Jobs for Teens?
These fun fall activities will keep your teen busy.
Teens Have Many Options for Fun Fall Activities
16 year old child development milestones
16-Year-Old Child Development Milestones
Teens on a soccer field hugging
Peer Pressure: How Peers Influence Your Child
Help your teen keep his first job.
How to Ensure Your Teen's First Job Is a Success
Father and son talking in kitchen
10 Reasons You Should Teach Your Teen Assertive Communication Skills
Father and teenage son cooking together in kitchen
7 "Inspirational" Messages Your Teen Doesn't Need to Hear
Create cellphone rules that will keep your teen safe.
Cell Phone Rules Every Household With a Teen Should Follow
Alternatives to sports for teens
After School Activity Ideas for Teens Who Don't Like Sports
Give your teen the skills he needs to be independent.
How to Prevent Your Teen From Becoming a Boomerang Kid
When is your teen ready to go to a concert alone?
Is It OK to Let You Let Your Teen Go to a Concert Alone?
Set healthy limits on your teen's screen time.
How Parents Can Set Limits on TV, Computers, Video Games, and Phones
Mom having an important conversation with daughter about sneaking out
How to Handle Catching Your Teen Sneaking out of the House
Teenagers being pulled on a sled
50 Activities Teens and Families Can Do in the Cold Months
Parents talking to teen as they leave the house
Is Your Teen Ready to Be Left Home Alone Overnight?
Most parents aren't doing enough to teach teens how to be good drivers.
Study Says Most Parents are Terrible at Teaching Their Teen How to Drive
duct tape
What Parents Should Know About the Duct Tape Challenge
Father helping son with schoolwork
How Parents Can Help Their Teen Get Organized for School Success
Sign your teen up for driver safety classes beyond basic driver education.
Beyond Driver Education: Programs That Teach Teen Drivers to be Safe
Portrait of teenage girl using laptop
8 Small Businesses Any Teen Entrepreneur Can Start
Teen girl helping to wash the dishes
50 Chores Your Teen Can Handle and Why You Should Let Them
A mother waving to her child after dropping them off to live independently
Help Your Teens Learn Important Skills Before They Move Out
Boy upset, mother in the background
A "Bill of Rights" for Parents of Teens
Can teenagers get a tattoo or a piercing without a parent's permission?
Can My Teen Get a Piercing or Tattoo Without Me?
teenage girl writing at desk
How Teens Can Use a Goal-Setting Worksheet to Achieve Their Potential
Eat dinner together as a family.
10 Ideas to Help Build Your Relationship and Spend Time With Your Teen
A chore contract can the be the key to getting your teen to do chores on time.
Create a Chore Contract That Will Motivate Your Teen to Get Work Done
Young woman trying to get out of bed
8 Tips for Getting Your Teen Out of Bed in the Morning
The minimum driving age in each state varies.
How Old Does Your Teen Need to Be to Legally Drive?
Selfies actually pose several emotional and physical dangers.
Think the Teenage Obsession With Selfies is Harmless? Think Again
Affectionate mother kissing daughters cheek at party
Tips for Helping Your Tween Make the Most of Middle School Graduation
young teen hiding face in hoodie
What You Need to Know About Inhalants and Huffing
Young teenage girl is shopping online/making reservation in the train
Best Debit Cards for Teens of 2022
Boys in a classroom using smartphones
Why Technology May Be Causing Grades to Fall in School
young woman on social media
Do You Suffer From FOMO? Find Out How to Cope
Fill a gift basket with items your teen will love.
How to Create Personalized Gift Baskets for a Teenager
Smiling teenage girl writing in a journal
Privacy and Trust Go Hand-in-Hand for Teens
Page Sources
Verywell Family uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.
  1. Nemours Foundation.Understanding puberty.

  2. Schacter HL, Margolin G.The interplay of friends and parents in adolescents’ daily lives: Towards a dynamic view of social support.Soc Dev. 2019;28(3):708-724. doi:10.1111/sode.12363

  3. Doom JR, Doyle CM, Gunnar MR.Social stress buffering by friends in childhood and adolescence: Effects on HPA and oxytocin activity.Soc Neurosci. 2017;12(1):8-21. doi:10.1080/17470919.2016.1149095

  4. Twenge JM, Spitzberg BH, Campbell WK.Less in-person social interaction with peers among U.S. adolescents in the 21st century and links to loneliness.J Soc Personal Relation. 2019;36(6):1892-1913. doi:10.1177/0265407519836170

  5. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine.Promoting positive adolescent health behaviors and outcomes: Thriving in the 21st century.

  6. Pew Research Center.Most U.S. teens see anxiety and depression as a major problem among their peers.

  7. Pew Research Center.Assaults against Muslims in U.S. surpass 2001 level.

  8. Pew Research Center.A majority of young adults in the U.S. live with their parents for the first time since the Great Depression.

  9. U.S. Red Cross.Make a first aid kit.