Adolescence is a time filled with many changes for a family. A typical teen deals with issues of identity formation by spending much of his or her time moving away from mom and dad, emotionally and physically. It is also during adolescence that teenagers begin to make important life choices. Research shows that the best choices are made when parents are able to create an environment that allows freedom for decision making while keeping a close connection with the adolescent. When parents are unavailable or the family has little sense of cohesion, it is often friends or the media that help teens make their choices. Although it is developmentally appropriate for teens to spend more time with their friends, they still need their parent’s guidance when making major decisions.
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Reprinted with the permission of the University of Missouri. © 2008 — Curators of the University of Missouri
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