+ Teenagers
     * Teenagers tell family lives the best and worst things about being a
       teenager
Teenagers tell Family Lives the best and worst things about being a teenager
Family Lives survey also reveals teenagers’ greatest fears and their advice
   At Family Lives we wanted to find out what teens really think about
   out. The results are fascinating and really show us what teens care and
   teenagers family
Family is the most important thing for teenagers
   Despite the strains of being a teenager, family is by far the most
   important thing in a teen’s life. Out of 235 teens (aged 13-19)
   (41). Some teens, however, had different things on their minds when
   The importance of family also played into teens’ greatest fears, with
   that lots of teens felt anxiety about the reality of their eventual
   We also asked teens what they felt were the best and worst things about
   being a teenager in today’s world. The most popular answers for the
   best thing about being a teenager were around the idea of enjoying the
   freedom of youth and the lack of responsibility it carries. Teens
   When asked the worst thing about being a teenager, 43 teens told us
   they felt judged and pressurised by society. Many teens talked about
   they thought was the worst thing about being a teenager, one
   responsibility of being a teenager, another 36 teens found that the
   worst aspect of being a teenager was the lack of freedom to make their
   being a teenager, with stress, hormones and puberty all falling even
   troubles of the teenage years might seem to have been superseded by a
   more existential angst, as teens strive to forge an identity that goes
Teenagers and bullying
   can have, leaving teens feeling isolated, scared and, in some cases,
   be done.’ Of the teens who did make positive suggestions, the most
   having. Lots of teens also suggested that an increase in support
   punishments for bullies – perhaps a sign that today’s teens prefer a
Teenagers on risky behaviour
   With so much media coverage of teenage binge drinking, drug use and
   underage sex, we wanted to give teens the opportunity to voice their
   answers showed teens were mostly safe and responsible, though of course
   a natural curiosity for experimentation has led some teens to take
   28% of surveyed teenagers had had parties without their parents’
   those rare cases where parties had become out of control, teenagers
   knowledge?”, most teens struggled to think of an answer, or told us
   We know that the teenage years are a time for experimentation and that
   some teens take the opportunity to experiment with smoking, drinking
   with 70% of teens saying they never binge drink, and only 17.6% said
   potential risk to impressionable teens who are exposed to sexual
   Over 21% of teens said they had had unprotected sex at some point in
   research that many teens would like to be able to talk to their parents
   about sex, and that these types of conversations can help teens make
Teenage advice for parents
   Who better to advise parents of teenagers than the teenagers
   themselves? We asked teens about their own parents and the problems
   that can lead teens to feel misunderstood, and then we asked them what
   choices they would make if they were the parent of a teenager.
   Around 55% of teens felt that their parents understood them
   generation gap, with teens feeling their parents couldn’t relate to
   saying their parents don’t listen to them.  One teenager replied:
   teenager, the most common word in their answers was “understanding”.
   Teens told us they would offer love, support, freedom, good
   perhaps a good indication of how teens themselves want to be parented,
   One teenager replied:
   “Love your teenager even when they least deserve it. Never let their
   trustworthy relationship with their teens. If you can't give them
   being a teenager isn't always that great either. Teens are at a
   like the more important thing in the world. Teenagers that we are in
   concern, that some of our teenage respondents contemplated and
   teens feel they are treated, viewed and judged by the outside world can
   when offering advice to parents of teenagers, respondents recognised
   “Ultimately our survey shows us that the needs of teenagers – and those
   guidance during what can be a difficult time for teenagers, parents,
   Parents concerned about teenage family matters can call Family Lives’
   on parenting teenagers for confidential and non-judgemental support.
     * Teenagers (5)