Parenting My Teen

It’s probably not surprising to know that parents and teens have different opinions about what is important when returning to school.  Parents have a tendency to concentrate more on supplies and essential clothing while teens tend to be concerned about the latest trends.

Some things that teens look at are:

• Electronics – The world has become a much more technological place and teens are some of the top users of electronics.  The teens of today have grown up using computers, cell phones, and other high tech electronic devices.  Many teens want to upgrade to iPhones, Droids, and iPads for their electronic needs.
• Brands – Many teens prefer brand specific clothing and shoes either because they want to be like their friends or they look up to others who wear specific brands.  Although there are certain brands that are quite expensive some of the most popular clothing and shoe brands are reasonably priced.  Some popular brands include American Eagle, Areopostal, Under Armor, DC Shoes, Nike, and Adidas.
• Hair Styles – Hair styles seem to change every year and it’s not just girls who spend time on their hair.  Teen boys spend just as much time at the salon as girls these days.  The most popular style for teen boys is wearing their hair longer so that there are some waves and curls.  Many boys are going for the “Justin Bieber” look these days.  Girls have embraced the flat ironed look but they also enjoy throwing their hair up in stylish messy buns that allow for tendrils and the “just out of bed look”.
• Cars – More and more teens are getting vehicles instead of riding the bus and many teens would prefer a fast little car over the family hand me down.  With the economy the way it is many teens will have to be happy with an older, bigger vehicle as many parents will not have the extra funds to purchase an additional car for their teen. 
• Online Social Networking – While many parents may not even know what this means it’s an important part of socializing for many teens.  Most teens have FaceBook, Twitter, and MySpace pages which allows them to keep up with what their friends are doing and share with others what is going on in their lives and what they find important.    The important thing for teens to remember with online social networking is that everything they post on the Internet leaves a “virtual footprint” that can be reviewed at any time.

This list is not necessarily important to all teens and not all teens are concerned with each point but you will find that most teens find these items either relatively or extremely important for both going back to school and during the school session.  There are also many other items that teens are concerned about like sports, classes, friends, dating, grades, and extracurricular activities.

It’s important for parents to realize that while their children may have an interest in certain things it doesn’t mean that all of these items must be provided for them.  Each family has to find their own comfort level when it comes to expenses and items for their teens.  Even without all of these items your teen is sure to have a great upcoming school year.

Here is another useful resource to Help your teen succeed in High School.