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BEING A HAPPY TEENAGER
Andrew Matthews
Parents
“Where have you been?” “Do you know what time it is?” “Why didn’t you put out the trash last night?” “Why are your grades so low?” “Where are you going?”Have you ever heard your parents ask any of the questions above? As a teenager, it’s normal to find your parents annoying. They ask a lot of questions you don’t want to answer. Parents set curfews to make sure you go home early. They ask you to do stuff you don’t want to do. Honestly, they act crazy most of the time. However, these are all necessary to guide you into being a better person in the future. Your parents do everything to give you the best life they can. They work nine hours a day, clean the house, bring you to school, cook breakfast every morning, etc. Parents scold you for your mistakes to make sure you learn from them. They act the way they do because they love you. You and your parents worry about different things. Most teenagers worry about their grades, friends, boyfriends and girlfriends, and allowances. On the other hand, parents worry about their jobs, earning enough for the family, keeping enough food in the house, and their children.
It’s important to realize that your parents are humans too. They make mistakes just like you. Nobody is perfect, so don’t expect your parents to be perfect as well. Whenever you argue with your parents, try to remember the list of things they constantly worry about. Maybe they had a hard day at work. Don’t be so quick to make them the villain. Understand things from their perspective. Let’s look at Kobe’s situation and what happened between him and his dad. Kobe’s dad was sitting in his office at home, worrying about his credit card debt. The monthly expenses were far beyond his earnings which put him in debt. How could he ever pay off $25,000 if his monthly salary is only $10,000?At that moment, Kobe went inside his dad’s office, hoping to get a bicycle. All his friends had one, so he wanted to have one too. Building up the courage, Kobe asked his dad if he could buy a new bike. Upon hearing his son’s request, Kobe’s dad got angry. He shouted at Kobe and started listing off all the debt and expenses he had to pay. He told Kobe that it wasn’t the time for them to live luxuriously.
Kobe was shocked by his father’s response. All he did was ask for a bike. Why did he have to get screamed at when his dad could have just said no? Kobe was hurt and promised never to speak to his dad again. In the situation above, you can see how both the parent and teenager have their reasons for acting the way they did. The parent was caught off guard, and the boy was stunned. Each side should try to understand the other more. His dad was worried about not being able to get out of debt, while Kobe wanted to fit in with his friends. Their conflict could have been avoided with more communication and a little understanding. Most teenagers forget to say thank you to their parents. Having sacrificed all their time, effort, and money, parents feel unappreciated. A thank you isn’t always necessary, but it can make your parent’s day. This appreciation can go a long way.
Friends
Choose your friends wisely. Most parents ask their children to spend more time with friends with good character, rather than those who always get into trouble. As a teenager, you may not know the reason behind this. You may think your parents are horrible for not allowing you to hang out with people you like. However, you will soon understand the reason behind this. Your friends can affect you and your behavior. Aside from your parents, your friends are also the ones who will guide you through life. You'll start going to places they want to go and do activities they usually do. It’s normal to want to fit in the group. That is why choosing the right kind of friends is important. Surrounding yourself with happy and goal-oriented friends will allow you to become one. Their positive energy will spread to you and make you feel better about yourself. Spending time with miserable people who often lie, cheat, or steal may cause you to act the same way. Even if you try to deny it, the kind of people you are friends with defines the type of person you are.
People care a lot about their appearances and status in life. Teenagers are no different. They spend a lot of time trying to get other people to like them. There will always be some people who won’t like you, and that’s okay. You can’t please everyone, so focus on yourself. Be yourself. You don’t need to change for anyone to like you. Don’t be desperate for other people’s attention. Live your life and stop waiting for other people. Never put your life on hold for anyone because chances are, they won’t show up, and you will end up waiting for nothing. If you get into a fight with your friends, try to forgive them. Forgiveness isn’t for them. It’s for you. Holding grudges will do nothing but bring negative energy into your life. By forgiving others, you are allowing yourself to be free from that negativity and move on. To better understand, let’s look at Jed and Ethan’s situation. Jed and Ethan have been best friends for longer than they can remember. Their families are extremely close, so they spend most holidays and summer vacations together.
One day, Ethan brought home his girlfriend, Sarah. He wanted Sarah to meet his family so he could bring her to Christmas dinner. Jed was also at Ethan’s house that day. Being his closest friend, Ethan wanted Jed to meet Sarah and get along with her. Upon meeting each other, Jed and Sarah immediately clicked. They felt as if they were meant for each other. What Sarah felt about Jed was entirely different from when she was with Ethan. A month later, Sarah broke up with Ethan and got together with Jed. Ethan felt betrayed and devastated. Out of all the people in the world, why did Sarah have to fall in love with Jed? Their friendship was ruined. Ethan promised himself he would never talk to Jed and Sarah again.
Whenever their families got together, he would avoid making eye contact with Jed and pretend as if he wasn't there. In this situation, you may think that Jed and Sarah don’t deserve forgiveness. But Ethan deserves to move on. This process starts with forgiveness. Forgiving Jed and Sarah will allow Ethan to move on with his life and become happier. Keeping a good relationship with your friends may be harder than you think. It can be easy to point out other people's mistakes rather than your own. The key to a long-lasting friendship is to focus on their good qualities. Stop thinking about their bad side and try to look at your friends from a better perspective. Happiness starts from within. Don't think you can find it from your friends or family. Once you feel happy about yourself, you start to see happiness in other people too.