You've seen your son or daughter grow from a scared little child on the first day of kindergarten into a person who is approaching adulthood and beginning to assert independence. Adolescence, which begins at ages 10 to 11 in girls and ages 12 to 13 in boys, is often a difficult stage for both parents and children.
Adolescents reflect the chaos of our society.
Many parents just don't know how to deal with them. Parents should seek ways to balance their parental authority with their children's increasing need to make their own decisions. Parents who place too tight a rein on their adolescents risk a lot of anger. And parents who let their teens run too loose risk wild behavior. A middle ground is the answer.