Croatian Teen Portal
Nowadays, being a teenager in is not easy. The stakes are high and stressful, and so are the many pressures parents and friends put upon them. Therefore, it comes to no surprise that the latest statistics show that teen stress is becoming one of the most common problems young people today have to deal with.
One of the most common causes of teen stress is peer pressure and the desire to ‘fit in!’ Kids want to be liked and accepted and, therefore, often do stupid things. These actions may get them into trouble, or may lead to consequences they may later regret. Stealing, smoking, consuming alcohol, taking or dealing drugs, or having sexual relations are just a few of the bad behaviors teenager s may participate in if they believe it will get them accepted into popular circles.
As if going through puberty is not enough teenagers also have to consider their future and try to find out what career they eventually would like to thrive in. Once they have made that decision, they have to figure out what classes to register for and how to get funding. Not all parents are rich and some youngsters may have to find part-time jobs to help support their school cost, or compliment their student loans.
Being a teenager means facing many challenges, some tough and critical, others fun and exciting. They may often feel lost, but in the end they will all find their way...
Teen pregnancy
Around the world, every year thousands of babies are born to under-aged parents, and even though these young mothers and fathers can be just as loving towards their babies and children as adults, it can be hard on them emotionally and financially.
Young women who become pregnant may have more difficult pregnancies than older women. They are more likely to have high blood pressure, which can be dangerous to both the mother and the fetus, and they often go into labor prematurely, which leads to small babies. Underweight infants are more prone to several infant and childhood disorders and respiratory difficulties. They also have a higher risk for crib death, also known as ‘Sudden Infant Death Syndrome’ (SIDS).
Teenage mothers are more likely to have poor eating habits than mature women and often do not take the recommended daily prenatal multivitamins required to maintain adequate nutrition during their pregnancy. Teens also undergo a lot of peer pressure and may have bad habits such as smoking cigarettes, drinking alcohol, or taking drugs, even during pregnancy. This will increase the chances for severe health problems for their baby.
It is hard to be a teenage parent, end even the teenagers involved in stable family relationships are still growing up. These adolescents may need as much attention themselves as their newborns. They also have their own needs, which they may have to put on hold in order to respond to those of their baby, something they may resent in later years.
Many young women have strong views about terminating the pregnancy and will never even consider abortion. They may opt to keep the child, or they may give the baby up for adoption, especially if the baby’s father or their own immediate family is not supporting them. Giving birth is a major life event and taking responsibility to raise the child, or not, is a difficult decision that can only be made after the baby is born and the young woman has had a chance to deal with her feelings.
As difficult as it may be, talk to your children about contraception. In the end, it is better than dealing with teen pregnancy!
Sport stars and their fans
The relationship between sports stars and their fans is fascinating. Sports stars realize that their livelihood depends on their fans. If the fans were not willing to shell out their hard earned money for Winter Olympics tickets or World Cup tickets, then the athlete would suddenly become obsolete.
Fans lavish attention and praise and money (by way of the aforementioned Winter Olympics and World Cup tickets as well as logo merchandise) upon their favored athletes. The fan will wait in line just for a chance to shake hands with or get an autograph from their beloved sports stars.
As broad as the love affair between the fan and the sports star is, it lacks depth. If a sports star stumbles, the fans are quick to turn on him. It may be a form of jealousy – the athlete is getting rich while the fans are not. It may simply be that the only thing people like more than a hero is a fallen hero. Whatever the reason, sports fans almost relish in the failings, on or off the field, of their sports stars.
And for the athletes, there seems to be an undercurrent of contempt for the fans, an unspoken feeling that they deserve all the cheers but none of the boos. The higher the athlete’s pay, the greater is the disdain shown for the fans who make that pay possible. As long as there is big money involved, sports stars and their fans will continue to share a relationship that is complex and dynamic, if not entirely healthy.
Glow Sticks In The Park
Last weekend, I went to pick-up my young teenage daughter from a dance that was being held in the park. When I arrived, the whole park was alive in colorful glow sticks that were bobbing and weaving as people danced or walked from place-to-place. The colors were so festive and bright that I decided that I had to own one.
After a few minutes of searching, I found the booth and bought a large handful of those pretty glowing lights to give to my daughter and her friends. I tucked the glow sticks into my beltline and then went searching for my daughter in the crowd.
When I finally located my daughter who was sitting with her friends on a picnic table bench, all she could do was to laugh at me for trying to look like a teenager with those glow sticks decorating my beltline. In no uncertain words she informed me that I was too old to fool anybody into thinking that I was also a teenager.
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