Teenagers and Decision Making
Student’s Name
Professor’s Name
Course
Date
Teenagers and Decision Making
Introduction
Decision making is selecting a course of action where two alternatives exist, and whereby an individual is expected to choose only the best. In simple terms, it is the act as well as the process of making a choice. In the society, there exists different groups of individuals for example children, teenagers, youths and adults and in their daily activities they are faced with some situations which require proper decisions to be made. Therefore decisions making entails thought, bravery and willingness to be held accountable. In return, it gives experience, self-assurance, and wisdom at the end. In contemporary times, a group of individuals in which making decisions should be examined is the teenagers since they are encountered with numerous hard choices about behaviors, principles as well as goals (Landers and Ann p.2). It can be challenging to deal with teen years for both the parents and their teenage children.
Typically, during the age of fourteen or fifteen, a lot of teenagers have proved to go through a harsh period being reclusive plus temperamental. This is regarded as the time whereby they begin to reflect how they feel about themselves besides reckoning out how this insight may equal or mismatch with what other individuals in the society think of them. However, all this is considered as a crucial phase to maturity. This paper discusses and analyzes decision making in teens and addresses when their parents should allow them to make their own choices.
Discussion
During their teenage age, children are anticipated to exhibit high levels of responsibilities by their parents. However, the transition from adolescence to adulthood is not smooth and untangled journey for both the teens and their parents. Therefore it is parents responsibility to gradually guide their children towards being accountable for various daily activities for instance laundry as well as keeping their rooms tidy while providing them with their individual space and time all along. As this is the point in life when these teens go through puberty, they are expected that they would essentially appreciate some advice offered to them instead of being subjected to some strict orders (Rinehart and Dianne, p.43). They ought to be extended a helping hand relatively than a commanding one. There are several things which the contemporary parents need to know while bringing up their teenage children. The parents need to comprehend that their children are in a different generation compared to their own and therefore they need to be accommodating. Due to the communication gap that exists between these two diverse groups plus the amplified improvements in technology, it is notable they tend to leave little room for adequate and proper discussion amongst the teens and their parents.
There exists no time which is defined when parents should allow their teen children to make their own decisions. Conversely, there is a great need by the parents to afford their teen children with the necessary space that they require during this stage, which will ultimately assist the teens significantly to sort out their glitches by themselves. Mostly during the adolescent period, parents tend to make like all the decisions of their children (Quinn and Michelle p.1). This propensity still happens in some families as the children continue to grow and become more mature. Therefore, it is decent that starting with fifteen to sixteen years old, teenagers ought to begin making some crucial decisions up to their peculiar discretion. By doing this, it is evident that teenagers will result to become more autonomous, upsurge their confidence and eventually they will be able to prevent themselves from making some unintentional mistakes which their parents could have made.
Every day involves making some decisions whether big or small. The making of a resolution is a significant skill to teach children of all ages since most parents’ happiness is to see their children grow up to be self-governing, accountable and jovial adults. Hence it is good that decision making should begin early for example by providing children with small choices amid two options. As these children develop into teens, the necessity to learn to make more decisions as they advance individuality arises. Therefore by making some decisions as well as learning problem-solving methods, the teens will grow positively. There is the need of the teens to make a lot of decisions affecting them as they will learn and develop maturely from their successes plus mistakes. However, if their parents incline to make most of their choices, they will not be prepared to take on this task as they develop to adulthood.
Unfortunately, most parents and guardians contemplate that teenagers are not yet old enough or have not reached the maturity stage to think farther and thus they frequently make decisions on their behalf. This practice may, however, influence the teenager’s prospect since they will develop to become reliant on their parents and therefore they will be unable to make their decisions appropriately (Petersen and Evelyn, p.24). They will grow lacking both their individual goals and determinations since everything in their lives will be controlled and their decisions made by their parents. Hence it is the responsibility of the parents to let their teen children become who they want to be in the present and the future and not who the parents anticipated them to become. Therefore it is always good to support the teens in every means possible to make their individual decisions for a better tomorrow.
As there exists no definite time limit on when parents should allow their teenage children make their personal choices, hence the teens should be allowed to make their judgments but with some little control which is not harsh. Through the teens being given an opportunity to make personal decisions they may encounter several problems, but eventually, these glitches will help them in several circumstances as they mature up. This method typically helps teens in the following ways:
Making Mistakes Help the Teens to Become More Mature
It is regarded that the best way to learn about particular mistakes is by making them. This is because it is only after making some mistakes that individuals will experience some emotions for example of regret and sorrow. This will make them avoid making the same mistakes for they will not want to experience what they have already experienced there before. An active parent should give their teenager children some room to make some mistakes to learn from them and thus they should not be significantly criticized. These teenagers exhibit their personalities which might be entirely different from their parents, and hence they may need to make different decisions concerning their lifestyle.
As it is evident from many life situations and incidences, teens are prone to screw up, get hurt, get into some severe trouble and make many mistakes (Landers and Ann, p.21). Consequently, parents should not punish them for making all the mistakes but they should work with them, in deciding on how to make some proper decisions the next time they make some mistakes. They should not be stopped entirely from making some crucial decisions and hence should be given some free space and time to express their ideas. They should be provided with the freedom which they need to grow.
Self-Discovery
Self-discovery is considered one of the most crucial aspects of an individual’s life. It entails of knowing who you are as a person by merely recognizing your strengths as well as your weaknesses. Good understanding of individual limitations and strengths can help an individual to become prosperous in life. Though many parents may see the decisions by a teen as small ones, these decisions can significantly help them discover what they prefer more in life and what they dislike more. Moreover giving these teens an opportunity to make own decisions can help them find out their talents some of which could have been hidden for a long time.
Confidence
When the teens are allowed to have a say in some decisions, for example in home matters, it makes them feel more important and appreciated, and thus they develop confidence in their in their daily activities. These teens can see themselves as grownups, and eventually, they may end up making some significant decisions some which were not expected to be done by individuals of their age.
A recent study which was conducted revealed that there is a great need for universality when it comes to handling teenagers’ matters, and therefore this elaborates whether the parents should allow the teens to come up or develop their individual decisions (Carrie and Seidman, p.10). It has been revealed that in some different cultures where parents acknowledge the opinions of their teenager children as well as motivating them to express themselves, these teenagers have shown a stronger sense of self-value, engagement, intrinsic motivation and also have exhibited to be less of depression. Considering that some choices have a long-term effect, the teenagers requires empowerment to make decisions.
Nowadays, many parents fail to comprehend why their teenagers sometimes tend to act in an imprudent, absurd or dangerous way. In some instances, it seems like the teens do not get things well, whether it is due to ignorance or that they do not fully contemplate the repercussions of their actions. Teens differ with the adults in many ways for example in the manner they behave, resolve problems, and make resolutions. Therefore it is the responsibility of the parents to teach them the process of descent decision making and consent them to make decisions. In guiding the teens in the proper making of decisions, the parents are expected to perform the following;
Identify the Problem and Define It
Initially, they are supposed to recognize and outline the issue. They should also consider what a possible result or the goalmouth might be.
List All Possible Alternatives
It is good that the teen is the one coming up with the primary idea even if it does not seem to be useful as this will motivate them in a way.
Evaluate the Options
The teen should be allowed to evaluate the options with the parent there to provide with guidance as well as the necessary support.
Choose an Option
It is significant that the result of the problem never seems to create a problem for another individual.
Make a Plan and Implement It and Come Up With a Solution
This seems to be the most challenging stage. If the teen’s choice is not acceptable to the other individual, they may be required to go back to the available list of options.
Conclusion
As described in the above making decision is a crucial factor in an individual’s life for in their daily activities they are typically faced with some situations which require the proper making of critical decisions. Moreover, there is a great need for empowering the teens to make decisions. In many circumstances, these teens have proved themselves worthy of making their individual choices. Therefore the teenage children should be allowed by their parents to make their own decisions as it will increase their self-confidence, and later develop to be more independent in life which is vital for their growth from to teenage towards adulthood.
Works Cited
Carrie Seidman * Photos by,Jeff Alexander. “LETTING GO.”Albuquerque Journal, 05 May 1996, pp. 10. elibrary, https://ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/login?url=https://explore-proquest-com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/document/323794418?accountid=7069.
Landers, Ann. “LETTING STUDENTS LEARN TO MAKE OWN DECISIONS.”St.Louis Post Dispatch (pre-1997 Fulltext), 15 Jul 1994, pp. 02F. elibrary, https://ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/login?url=https://explore-proquest-com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/document/303830364?accountid=7069Petersen, Evelyn. “Parents must Learn to Let Go of Teenagers.”The Gazette, 28 Nov 1996. elibrary, https://ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/login?url=https://explore-proquest-com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/document/433092829?accountid=7069.
Quinn, Michelle. “Helping Teens make Good Choices.”Knight Ridder Tribune News Service, 09 Nov 2004, pp. 1. elibrary, https://ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/login?url=https://explore-proquest-com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/document/456593919?accountid=7069.
Rinehart, Dianne. “The First Steps to Adulthood; @13; Part 4.”The Spectator, 29 Sep 2005, pp. G04. elibrary, https://ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/login?url=https://explore-proquest-com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/document/270205987?accountid=7069.
Taboada, Melissa. “Letting Go:A Parent’s Toughest Task.”Austin American Statesman, 17 Aug 2006, pp. 01. elibrary, https://ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/login?url=https://explore-proquest-com.ezproxy.southtexascollege.edu/document/255873073?accountid=7069.
