As a parent, you might not understand your teenage child’s strange behaviors and actions as they transition through their teenage years. In addition, teenagers don’t necessarily understand it either. It is not uncommon for teenagers to act out and it is not apparent why they do that. There is an underlying reason why teens across cultures and geography tend to demonstrate this rebellious change in their behavior. What causes one to become a rebellious teenager?

In the early years of life, children learn how to have pity parties to get attention. When they’re older, such as teenagers, they’re too grown up to throw pity parties. They are therefore capable of taking action that young children are not. They may run away or destroy property to gain attention, which places them in the rebellious teenager category.

Early in adolescence, kids are still discovering their own identities. The formation of their identity is still in progress. It may take a teenager between the ages of 16 and 21 to find their identity, but for others, it may take a while longer.

Where Rebellion Comes From

In their childhood, all decisions such as places to go, toys to play with, and entertainment they consume were largely made by someone else, such as their parents or guardians, but as they enter their teenage years, they begin making more independent choices.

Instead of relying on their parents’ guidance and control, teenagers desire to form their own identities. Teenagers begin to recognize that their parents are far from perfect, so there is less fear of discipline from infallible guardians.

Causes of Rebellious Behavior

Teenagers rebel either to get out or to get in. It is common for them to push and test the limits when trying to break out. It is also possible to rebel in an attempt to gain entry. In this type of rebellion, the teenager is trying to get in. Even though they are related to the family, they don’t feel like they belong. They may see themselves as the family’s black sheep.

Why Kids Turn Out The Way They Do

Most parents believe if you raise your child the way you want him to be when he grows up, he’ll follow in your footsteps.

Parents need to realize that their child has individual characteristics, so they must allow their child to express himself freely. To be an effective parent, you should know your child’s interests, likes, and dislikes, be curious about them, and be interested in them. Keeping your child too restricted and not letting them be themselves will only lead to him wanting his way until he gets it.

Reason Teenagers Start Rebelling

Teenagers who rebel against authority, be it parents, teachers, or police, are rebuffing long-established limits. Teenagers who are resentful of being controlled often break the rules and take risks that they haven’t tried before.

Kids Will Not Do Everything you Ask Them To Do

Children are not just good when they follow their parents’ commands without question. It’s okay for your teen to say no or even question your suggestion or idea. Your responsibility as a parent is to help your children discover who they are by not creating an environment where they feel confined.

However, this does not mean you should encourage your children to engage in risky behavior. The key is to help steer them away from those risky behaviors with love and patience, not force.

What A Rebellious Teenager Might Be Going Through

Teenagers behave in this manner for a reason. Individual experiences and the factors affecting them differ from person to person. The are some general underlying causes behind the behavior of youth and revolt. Throughout our lives, we change and grow in different ways. The teenage years are among the most significant periods of growth and development in our lives. In addition to puberty’s unpredictable changes, neurological developments are also taking place.

The Most Rebellious Age

A significant percentage of growth happens during the approximate age range of 13 to 19. There is a significant development in the prefrontal cortex of the brain which is closely related to personality development, planning, and logical reasoning. The structure of speech is also rapidly evolving. It is a natural reaction for young people to practice their newly acquired skills.

During those challenging years, the brain is evolving in more than one way. Similarly, at age 10 the brain stem and cerebellum will be very different than at age 25. Language processing, speech formation, and memory capacity are all affected in these areas, all of which cultivate urgency in a kid.

RELATED: How To Use Tough Love When Parenting Troubled Teens

Does Puberty Cause One To Be Rebellious?

Are teens rebelling because of puberty? In teenagers, estrogen levels increase for girls, while testosterone levels increase for boys. Essentially, their brains are readjusting to new chemicals and their bodies are changing rapidly.

Teenagers may feel emotions and exhibit more aggression and spontaneity than adults because of the complex dance of hormones in their bodies

How Social Media Affects Teenagers

In the age of social media, a burden that even adults cannot handle, unlike any other generation before.

There is a huge new factor affecting teenagers today. With just a click, we can share hundreds of thousands or millions of our lives and thoughts. Additionally, billions of websites contain human knowledge production and behavior. A limitless platform combined with the endless complexity of teenagers’ inner world can create an environment that is ripe for problematic behavior.

As teenagers express themselves and rebel on social media, it poses new challenges for parents today and in the future. Whether it is from their peers or other outside sources, teens seek validation and attention. As a result of this attention-seeking behavior, parents may also receive negative attention from their children when they engage in dangerous or risky behavior.

Often, they are unaware of why they behave in a particular way. Teenagers are faced with too many variables in their lives and minds.

How To Deal With a Rebellious Teenager

The first thing parents should do when their teenager is being rebellious is to ask “what is he trying to communicate”. Parents should also ask themselves this important question “have I contributed to this behavior? When and where did things go wrong?”

One thing to note is that when your teen has been excused for many unacceptable behaviors, they will continue to act out until they reach their breaking point. The teenager may appear rebellious in this situation.

Set Clear Boundaries

Clearly defined parameters are essential for teenagers. If you tell your teenager to avoid certain behavior, but as a parent, you are not avoiding that behavior, a teenager will have difficulty following or respecting your directions. They will not behave the way you expect them to. Examine yourself as a parent, and then determine where you stand.

How To Emotionally Connect with Your Teenager

• To have a successful relationship with their teens, parents need to strike a balance between being over-controlling and under-controlling. Find a way to let your kids see and know that your intentions are not to harm them. Rather, your goal is to protect and nurture them so that they can become the best versions of themselves.

• Love and affirmation are essential for parents to provide for their children. Your children should be given the freedom and responsibility to make choices for their lives. In the case of teenagers, if they are always told what to do and do not have any choice, they will feel overcontrolled by you. Alternatively, you might not provide them with any direction about what you expect or hope for, which would be considered under control.

• Give them a clear understanding of your expectations, allow them to ask questions, and explain why certain rules exist. Whenever possible, be flexible and offer them alternatives. In this way, they will feel more in control and there will be fewer power struggles. 

Parents Don’t Have To Be Perfect

Parenting isn’t about being perfect. Perfect parents don’t exist. The best way to parent is to be consistent rather than striving to be perfect.

As parents, it’s crucial to understand that you can raise your children by teaching them your core values and beliefs. Nevertheless, it’s not certain that they’ll adopt your values and beliefs in the end. The ultimate goal of every parent is that his or her children become decent and law-abiding citizens.

Final Thought

Rebellious Teens; It is not to say that parents should let them get away with bad behavior, but parents should consider how confusing the teenage years can be. Keep a healthy communication pattern with the young adult and respect their individual needs. Listen to their side of the story and set rules appropriate to their age and personality.