Radio Commentary
The toughest time for parents to connect with their children is probably the young adolescent years from 10 to 15, when parental support is the most important.
Those are the years when children strive to develop their identity, listen to their peers, and pay attention to the latest styles, no matter how strange they may look to adults.
It’s also the time when they can make decisions that will follow them throughout their lives.
Parents should understand that change at this time is a natural part of maturing.
Your young adolescent is not the first to experience doubt, anxiety, or worry.
Remember when it happened to you? And remember that it will eventually end.
Be sure to fight only the important battles. There will be a wide range of issues that arise during this time. Your child may decide to dye his hair and may associate with peers who are experimenting with drugs.
Clearly the drug issue would have a much greater impact on his life. It might prove wiser to bite your tongue when you’re tempted to react to the short-term problem of hair color.
Young adolescents often think they are the only ones ever to experience what is now occurring. Remind them, by sharing your own stories, that this is not the case.
