If you find your adolescent's taste in music offensive, ask them to close the door or treat yourself to a pair of headphones for them. Perhaps even better advice would be to insist that they listen to music at reasonable volume levels. There's clear evidence that listening to loud music on personal stereos for long periods of time can cause permanent, irreversible hearing damage. But listening to a headset at maximum volume for hours at a time . . . means trouble. Return to top of page Tied to the Telephone Teenagers and telephones are the source of endless stories, constant parental complaints, and frequent jokes.
Kids appear always to be on the phone talking with friends, arranging dates, planning parties.
But unless telephone time interferes with homework or family time, it's probably more helpful than harmful for teenagers. Talking on the phone allows teenagers to talk about sensitive topics and to get honest feedback from a safe distance. The phone gives them a sense of privacy, while also helping them develop social skills. Of course, these benefits are of little comfort to parents who get constant busy signals or when long-distance phone bills add up. Experts suggest that this conflict should be negotiated.