Journal Article 2: What obstacles do you think people your age may have to overcome which were not present in your parents' generation?

Parents and teens have very complicated relationships. Parents are usually concerned about the teen's well-being. They feel the need to make sure their child is safe, which tends to annoy the child. Before our generation, parents were very strict towards their children. However, a lot has changed since our parents' generation. For example, teenagers have a lot more freedom than our parents might have had when they were our age. Parents try to be strict on their kids and make rules, but it causes problems in their relationships with them. When parents do not allow the child to do something, they mostly end up compromising with them. For example, in the short story "Saturday Climbing", Moira's Father, Barry, forbid her from going to an all night party with her boyfriend. they argued all afternoon and she eventually convinced him to stay out until 3. Before, children were afraid of their parents and obeyed their rules.

Another obstacle people my age face that was not present before is drug use. Teens using drugs has become very common. it is easier to access drugs now, although it also existed before, it has become more popular now. When a parent suspects their teen of doing drugs, they do not confront them right away. This is because they might not want to face the truth or they are afraid to accuse them becaus the child might deny it and make them feel guilty. For example, in the story, Moira came home late and smelled like marijuana. Barry did not confront her because he was afraid that she would be offended that he does not trust her. Some parents have the courage to talk it out with their teens, most do not. Parents should be able to be open with their teens rather than avoiding the problems. Problems do not disappear if you ignore them, they become worse.

One of the most common problems teens my age face is having divorced parents. It is very difficult for the child to live with a single parent. It is even worse for the parent; it is very hard to raise a child alone. In "Saturday Climbing", Barry had a very hard time getting through to Moira. He had trouble understanding her feelings because her problems were more suitable for a female to deal with. However, he did not stop trying. He found ways to spend more time with her, including rock climbing. Divorce hardly existed before, and if it did, the custody was mostly given to the mother. It is very common now, and has influenced teens negatively. Not having a mom or dad is very hard. Although, hey can always get remarried, it does not always work out. Barry also had a problem with her going to university being only sixteen. She did not understand why he did not allow her to go. She had the idea that he does not believe that she would be able to take care of herself. In my opinion trust, understanding and being open are all important factors in having a healthy teen and parent relationship.