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For Teens Only: Balancing Lifestyle Changes

by Ohio State University Extension    

As a teen living in the '90s, you are faced with a more hectic lifestyle than teens before you. You are more likely to work, be a volunteer, be involved in extracurricular activities, belong to clubs, and have more responsibilities at home. Your happiness may depend on how well you deal with all of these pressures.

As a teen, you are growing emotionally, physically, socially, intellectually, and spiritually. You must deal with a lot of changes and increased responsibilities. How do you manage dealing with the changes adolescence brings? Here are some pointers in each of these areas to help you manage your hectic and ever-changing life.

Emotional Growth

You are searching for your independence and personal identity, learning to interact in relationships, and are beginning to make decisions about your future (college, trade schools, work, or establishing your own household). Making these decisions can seem overwhelming at times. When confronted with a difficult decision, weigh your options by listing the pros and cons of each. Don't be afraid to ask others for advice. Parents, siblings, teachers, clergy, or co-workers can be good sounding boards, or they can recommend a good resource person to assist you.

Physical Growth

As a teen, you are entering puberty. This begins with the first signs of sexual development and ends when an individual is fully capable of reproducing. Growth spurts may cause you to be awkward as you adjust to an increase in height, muscle, and bone mass. To help you adjust, exercise regularly, eat a healthy balanced diet, and get enough sleep. Your growing body needs, on average, nine to eleven hours of sleep each night.

Mental/Intellectual Growth

As a teen, you also have a new way of thinking. You have mastered abstract thinking (analyzing a problem in your head, having your own thoughts, and backing your opinion with sound reasoning). Where you used to see only black and white, you now are able to discern gray areas. This allows you to form your own beliefs about issues.

Because you now have the ability to anticipate others' reactions, you can express your image to others through your clothes, hairstyle, and body language. Do they convey the image you want?

As a teen, you are probably more responsible for your own schedule -- getting up on time, finishing homework, getting to work, completing chores, and much more. To achieve all of this, you need to make choices and plan your schedule. When planning, make sure you balance school, work, social, family, and individual activities. This may mean cutting back work hours or reducing responsibilities in a club or organization. If so, explain to bosses, co-workers, and friends your decisions and reasons for them. This helps them see that you are responsible. Others will value that quality.

Social Growth

This is extremely important to most teens. Time with your peers helps you interpret your experiences and see how your views compare with theirs. Friends you choose as a teenager tend to have similar beliefs, values, and interests as you, enabling you to have stronger and more sincere friendships.

Through these friendships, you see an expanded view of the community and world in which you live. This opens up the world of fair and unfair practices related to an individual's actions. Issues will be more complex and have more gray areas for you.

Dating will provide you with opportunities for intimacy. You will be confronted with choices and must make decisions about your sexuality. Are you going to be sexually active or abstinent? These are decisions that will affect your life. They need to be thought about, discussed, and made prior to the "heat of the moment." This helps you control your future.

As a teen, you are going through a period of constant change in all areas of your life. Remember, parents are having to adjust to your changes, too. Parents have to let go of the old way of relating to you, as well as assist you in your growth to independence. Allow them an occasional outburst -- they allow you to have them! Use your parents as a resource. They went through adolescence and probably have helpful advice. Appreciate your parents' differences and talk with them about your differences.

If you are having trouble dealing with all the changes, try:

• Talking with a parent, other relative, teacher, or clergy member.
• Asking if your school has a peer listening group. Peer Groups can help you understand the changes and decide what's best for you.
• Seeing what resources are available for teens in your community. Ask for help.

Prepared by

Susan Rocco
OSU Extension Agent
Family and Consumer Sciences
Stark/Summit Counties