More than a minor problem Adolescence in this country is a time of emotional tumult and rebellion. Teenagers fight authority to test its limits and to define their own place in a seemingly arbitrary world.
Some young people choose lifestyles of nonconformity simply to be different.
Others make reasoned choices which adults may or may not agree with. Each generation has had its own style of rebellion. Emotional instability, or immaturity, is a trait common among teenagers. A strong need for acceptance by peers, attention from parents and other significant figures, and an effort to prove their worth and abilities are all characteristics familiar to parents and childcare workers. In the State of New York there is no law against consumption of alcohol by a minor.