How to Navigate Through Adolescence

How to survive adolescence.

There are a few skills you may need if you are going to survive adolescence without any major traumas!

1. Organization
You will be very busy trying to juggle your school life, home life, social life and possibly your part-time working life. It is important that you give yourself time to do all of this stuff and get some sort of balance in your life.

• Try setting up a timetable based on what you have to do and what you would like to do.
• Don't forget to build in some time for exercise and fun!

If you are going to survive and even enjoy your adolescent years, then the 'have to do' bit must be more important. Otherwise you will find yourself becoming very stressed by being late, not being ready, not having finished work on time, getting into trouble everywhere and feeling pretty bad about yourself.

2. Communication
Communication gets more important the older you are.

• Keep talking to your parents, even though there may be times when you think that they just don't understand. They have your best interests at heart, and if they're 'nagging' you about getting things done, it's because they love you and want you to do well and be happy.
• If you are honest about where you are going and keep to the rules that they set, it makes your parents feel that they can trust you – and you will be able to negotiate a 'better deal' with them as time goes on and they feel that you are maturing in attitude.   
• Talk to your friends. You will find that many of them will be finding life tough at times. Even talking about your worries helps you to realize that you are not on your own, and gives you the will to carry on trying.   

3. Respect
Have respect for the people in your life, and especially for yourself.

• Don't do things that may get you or your friends into trouble.
• Have respect for the adults in your life, including your parents, teachers and other people in authority.
• Remember that the opposite of having rules is anarchy, where the strongest, bullying and threatening people are in charge – in that situation who will help you when you need help?
  

What to look out for:

• Responsibility - as an adult you have to be responsible for yourself. Use adolescence as a time of training by accepting more responsibility for your work, your actions, your body and your wellbeing.
• Peer group pressure is something that does exist. It is not just something to be used as an excuse when someone gets into trouble! Peer pressure can be a very positive influence on your life, so hang out with positive people and be a positive person yourself.
• Friends are very important at this time of your life. Choose them carefully. Understand that most people may know lots of others, but true friends, best friends are few and far between. A true friend is someone who cares about you, keeps your confidences and makes time for you to do things together. Internet friends may not be who they say they are - be careful what you tell them.
• Parents - treat them with care. While you are going through lots of changes, so are they. They are not only getting older, but they are having to come to terms with their child (you) changing, growing, and becoming more independent of them. It's hard for them to accept that their little boy or girl is turning into a young person who does not need them in the same way that a small child does. Of course, they will still be around for hugs, etc. when you need them – they just need to learn that it's when YOU need them! And it's never too early to start noticing when they need a hug from you!