Teenager problems - Research Paper Example

Teenager Problems Teenagers all over the world face many problems as they grow up. Many people have suffered teenage problems and, therefore, understand too well the magnitude of the devastation caused by such problems. In fact, there are few parents across the globe who admit that parenting teenagers is rosy and for most of these parents, the experience is not consistent and thus fluctuates between being downright possible and difficult. In the current world, so many parents acknowledge that they have problem teenagers. In so many ways, teenage years may be the greatest experience for many parents. This is because it is the time they witness the results of their efforts of parenting as their children grow up into adult and prepare to take on life’s challenges in the modern world. However, it is acknowledged by many parents that controlling the activities of teenagers is not an easy task as this is the time drug abuse, late night parties, drinking, and peer influence are most prevalent. Boyfriends, girlfriends, and some many confusing arenas of sex, love and sexuality begins, and the teenagers often find themselves under intense psychological pressure. This is also the time in a teenager’s lives when they find themselves distressed by the direction their lives are taking. This is, therefore, the point in their lives when they require a lot of advice and guidance to help them shape their lives in the right way. This calls for the government and adults to ensure t hat teenagers are nurtured well. This paper will discuss why the government needs to put money on teenagers’ problems and the need for adults to provide these teenagers with hope. World Youth Report (189) notes that these days teenagers, regardless of the country of residence, social origin or gender, are subject to individual risks and meet new individual opportunities with some beneficial while others are disastrous. It notes that in most cases, youths tend to engage in illegal behaviors as they engage in drug abuse and addiction, and the infliction of violence against their peers. A survey by World Youth Report shows that apart from the US, rates of juvenile delinquency rose in 1990s (189). The report reveals that, in Western Europe, several arrests of juvenile delinquents and under-age criminals rose by an average of 50 percent between 1980s and 1990s. Juvenile crimes have also increased in Eastern Europe and other commonwealth countries. The report reveals that most of the juvenile delinquents are related to drug abuse and excessive consumption of alcohol (189). The report also suggests that, despite most programs and studies on juvenile delinquency, and focus on teenagers as offenders, the youths themselves fall victim to acts of delinquency. This, therefore, poses many threats in their lives. For instance, the report show that teenagers who are at risk of becoming delinquents in most cases lives in difficult situations (189). World Youth Report (200) argues that violence against youth violates their fundamental human rights. This calls for the government, individuals and institutions to commit their time, expertise, money and resources necessary to address this world problem. It is widely acknowledged that early intervention provides the best approach to juvenile delinquency prevention (Roucek 32). These measures prevent the youths from breaking the law. The government should, therefore, take up an initiative of providing money and setting up professional development programmes to provide legal alternatives to youth income generation. These include providing youths and adolescents with increased economic opportunities, education, professional training, new workplaces and some form of assistance in organizing business (world youth Report 201). This will help prevent the teenagers from getting involved in delinquent acts. The government should also provide money to be used in setting up educational centers focusing on youth educational programmes (Heilbrun, Goldstein, and Redding 124). This will help teenagers learn of the benefits of engaging in positive self-appraisal, control aggression and deal with conflict. World Youth Report (201) argues that the programmes will help debunk the teenagers the myth of crime glamour, which will help the teenagers find an alternative to delinquency. Within these educational centers, teens will get to interact with others who will help them in molding their social and cognitive skills that are vital to conflict prevention and aggression control. The government should also consider investing in recreational facilities. World Youth Report (201) notes that a variety of recreational facilities and services that teenagers are interested in needs to be established and made easily accessible to these teens, as is the case of Riadh Guideline. The reports show that setting up of basketball programme in the US for teens have led to more than 60 percent reduction in teenage delinquency. Adults must also take an initiative aimed at giving hope to the juvenile delinquents (Roucek 34). This is so because they understand better, what problems youths are undergoing. They can achieve this by explaining to the juvenile delinquents the negative aspects of involving in criminal behaviors and reconciling offenders and the victims (Heilbrun, Goldstein and Redding 129). They can also give this children hope by taking them to school, as this will empower them as they learn of the benefits of not engaging in crime. The fact that they go to school avoids incidences of being idle which makes them involve in criminal behaviors. Smoking is a problem that many families and the government are straggling manage. This is because smoking at any age is incredibly disastrous to an individual’s health (Jacobson 176). One of the major influences to smoking in the world today is a peer group and the media. For instance, teenagers highly exposed to media in most cases see images of people smoking, and as such, they feel that the act is acceptable, and there is no problem with it. Peers, on the other hand, do not make the situation easier as they bully others to take up smoking. Others come as a result of a teen trying to imitate what their parents do (Jacobson 177). Thus, teens whose parents smoke will tend to try experimenting what smoking is all about. In reality teenagers are too young to engage in smoking. It is, therefore, important that these teens be made aware that smoking is not acceptable as it has devastating effects on their health. This includes the fact that smoking can cause liver cirrhosis, lung cancer and heart ailments. It is essential that the government and adults take initiatives aimed at mitigating smoking among teenagers (Jacobson 177). One of the initiatives that the government should consider includes those geared toward prohibiting smoking in public places considering that this will reduce teenagers’ exposure to smoking. The government can also invest funds to promote organizations advocating for anti-smoking among teenagers. This is because these organizations assist in educating the youth on effects of smoking on their health a thing, which help in abating this act. Since adults also influence smoking behaviors among teenagers, they also have the obligation of instilling hope among teenagers. Firstly, they should avoid smoking in front of their children as research show that some children tend to copy smoking from their children. They should also ensure that the sit down with their children and educate them on the effects of smoking and the dangers associated with it (Jacobson 177). Moreover, since some teens get exposed to smoking through the media, as a parent, one should, if possible, regulate the programmes that their children watch (Jacobson 177). Those that influence their children to smoking and drug abuse should be discouraged in strongest terms possible. This would see teens grow morally upright. United States Department of Justice (3) notes a variety of substances that may be abused by teenagers today. These include drugs such as those sold over the counter, household products and pharmaceutical medicines. These drugs, when abused by teenagers, can drastically affect their health. It is, therefore, important for the government, institutions, and individuals including the society to take preventive measures aimed at educating the teens to stop abusing the drugs. Te best way of doing this is by creating awareness just as it is said that prevention is better than cure’. The government can facilitate this by investing in programmes aimed at creating awareness on drug abuse. This includes establishing libraries or resource and counseling centers dealing with drug prevention. Since many teenagers tend to imitate what they see from the media, the government and other institutions should consider investing in educative media and billboard adverts, teaching teens on the bad effects of drug abuse. Parents can also help their teens by educating them on dangers posed to their lives through drug abuse (United States Department of Justice 3). This includes showing them that drug abuse may cause them problems such as making them suffer from dangerous diseases such as cancer, headache, heart ailments and liver problems. This way, the teens will understand the dangers of drug abuse and refrain from consuming the dangerous substances. Alcoholism is another problem that many parents acknowledge as teenage problem. Windle (1) notes that the national surveys of adolescent, young adults and college students in America report high rate of alcoholism including binge and daily drinking among teens. These in most cases, have led to reckless driving and other risky and uncontrollable behaviors such as sexual activities, tobacco use, and suicidal tendencies. For instance, Johnson and colleague notes a strong interlink between binge drinking and tobacco use (Windle 1). For instance, the survey revealed that teens who drunk binge in 30 days were found to be 17 times likely to have smoked tobacco during that time. National College Health Risk Behavior Survey report of 1997 also shows the relationship between alcohol drinking and teen enrolment in risky behaviors (Windle 1). This included driving under the influence of alcohol, which in most cases lead to accidents. The survey also reported that more than 19 percent of teenagers engaged in sexual intercourse after taking alcohol. This revelation is worrying and as such calls for an action to be taken by both the government and adults. This can be achieved through education and counseling. For instance, the government can deploy preventive measure by prohibiting a teenager from accessing bars and alcoholic joints. This is by ensuring that those who sell alcohol and other drugs to teens are arrested and prosecuted. They can also achieve this by prohibiting adverts promoting alcoholic drinking on media. Parents also have a duty to teach their children, as this is an obligation. They should be able to teach their children to be cautious about friends whom they associate with. This is because a large number of teams report starting to abuse drugs or take alcohol as a result of peer pressure. Adults should also avoid engaging in alcoholism as in most cases some children tend to copy what they see (United States Department for Justice). It is appreciated that technology has transformed the world a great deal. However, its negative impacts cannot be overlooked. For instance, the internet has contributed to many teenage problems. This is so because, through the internet, they get to learn of dreadful things, which influences them negatively. The reason being, through the internet, they get access to pornographic materials, which have led to behaviors such as gays and lesbianism among teens. Through the internet, teenagers also get to interact with people of diverse backgrounds, which may influence them negatively. The government and adults should ensure that teens do not get exposed to sites that may influence them negatively (Howard and Jones 161). In conclusion, it is a matter of fact that teenagers face a lot of problems as they grow up to become adults. This ranges from juvenile delinquent, drug abuse such as smoking and alcoholism. These are the many problems among others that parents face as they nurture their children. Nevertheless, the government, institutions and individuals have a duty to instill hope among this vulnerable group. This is by investing in initiatives geared towards preventing and relieving these teenagers from such problems. Work Cited Heilbrun, Kirk, Goldstein, Naomi E.S., & Redding, Richard E. Juvenile delinquency: prevention, assessment, and intervention. Oxford: Oxford University press. 2005. Print. Howard, Philip N., & Jones, Steve. Society online: the Internet in context. London: SAGE. 2004. Print. Jacobson, Peter D. Combating teen smoking: research and policy strategies. Michigan: University of Michigan Press. 2001. Print. Roucek, Joseph S. Juvenile delinquency. New York: Ayer Publishing. 2011. Print. United States Department for Justice. Drug Prevention for Teens: A drug Abuse Prevention Guide For Teens. N.d. 12 April 2012. Web. http://www.learningforlife.org/lfl/resources/99-349.pdf Wildle, Micael. Alcohol Use Among Adolescents And Young Adults: National Institute On Alcohol Abuse And Alcoholism. N.d. 12 April 2012. Web. http://pubs.niaaa.nih.gov/publications/arh27-1/79-86.htm World Youth Report. Juvenile Delinquency (Chapter 7). 2003. 12 April 2012. Web. http://www.un.org/esa/socdev/unyin/documents/ch07.pdf Read More