A developing brain. Teen brains are under construction. From age twelve until mid-twenties, a person is less apt to think long-term and more likely to allow the portion of the brain that likes pleasure and wants to take risks to control decisions. Therefore, teens are more inclined to talk with tricky people through personal messages on social media. Emotional instability. Most preteens and teens feel insecure and inadequate periodically. They also face loneliness and a sense of doom. Watch for long periods of anxiousness, sadness, or depression, without happy times between. Boredom. Youth need to learn that being bored is okay. Our minds don’t need entertained or occupied every minute of every day. They may need a parent to come alongside them and help them adopt margin and relaxation periods into their lives. Environment or Circumstances. Certain races are more vulnerable. Those living in poverty are more vulnerable. Also, distressing events like a divorce, an accident, or a death in the family make preteens and teens more vulnerable. Some children are less resilient than others, and their reactions to traumas shape their self-image and responses to tricky people. Peer Pressure. God designed us with an innate desire to belong, and we will go to great lengths to fulfill that need. The next generation is trying to figure out who they are. Girls especially want to fit in and be liked, so they are more prone to emotional manipulation. We can’t underestimate the power of peer pressure