In the News: Teen Tantrums Explained?
Basically, the doctors 'videotaped 137 preteens and teenagers between the ages of 11 and 14 as they talked with their parents about issues that often lead to disagreements--such as bedtime, homework, or cell-phone use. The researchers scored the conversations based on their content and other factors such as facial expressions and tone. They also used brain imaging to measure the volume of different brain structures among the youths. Those with a larger amygdala, relative to the total brain size, showed more aggressive behavior while talking with their parents in these sessions.'
I find this to be very interesting information and wonder how this will effect parents over time. What do you think? Give your opinion on the article in our comments section.
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I think that some children happen to go through those stages because there are some parents who are too harsh on them and even sometimes insulting to the children and the children take in these behaviours. Also some children soon get frustrated because their parents expect too much from them and if they fail it messes them up mentally!Parents should talk to their children and try to relate to them and listen to them and allow them to make their own decisions. YES parents should try and guide them the right way! But in the end the children will grow up and live their own lives.
This is an interesting study. The study group is rather small though, and does not seem to take into account (or at least report) the already established relationship between parent and child, and the parents’ role in magnifying or diffusing the intensity of the conversation. It would be interesting to compare the brain image of the teens with that of their parents. There seems to be several variables not addressed in this study, however it does seem to be worthy of additional research.
I really think that the way your teen reacts to you, is based on how you taught them to react to you when they were little. If you have an open dialog with each other, along with plenty of room, compassion, forgiveness and understanding, there would be less tension. And remember…they’re growing as people..and we’re growing as parents. Just as long as you grow together..it’s a good thing.
My 14 year old who was always a sweet, helpful and nurturing boy has become the teenager from hell. He is argumentative, grouchy, has low tolerance for his younger brother or anyone else in the family for that matter. Oh and did I mention LAZY. I miss his former self!!!!!
I found this article interesting. It does enlighten as to why some teens act out more aggressively for no apparent reason, but that is within the same nurturing environment. We parents cannot claim to have a child who is all of sudden out of control as a teen when the fact is that this same child has always been in trouble, but the parents just had blinders on. By the time our kids are teens, we parents better have been doing our jobs and be parents, NOT friends. All this advice of open communication and understanding is a recipe for an out of control teen. You cannot reason with someone who has no concept of reason, i.e. small child, be a parent from the beginning. Kids have plenty of friends but only one Mom and one Dad.
They could be talking of my 16yr old!! There have been times recently when I really cant wait for him to leave the house and grow up so I dont have to deal with the anger/nastyness anymore. I know he should eventually grow out of it, but that is no real help to those parents who’s ‘darling’ is displaying enough violence/anger/stupidity/thoughtlessness to write a whole novel over!! I just cling to the fact my ‘darling’ will be in there somewhere and that he will eventually get rid of the unpleasant alien who has taken over his body/soul. I wish it would be soon tho’ as I’m running out of patience/strength seeing we have had it for 18 months!
I think most teenagers have tantrums because they have had an extended adolescence and live in a fantasy world – given too much and not enough expectations. Few teen agers in South Africa behave the way teenagers do in the West. Are we to believe that teenagers in the West are somehow physiologically different. I don’t think so.
Many times the teens don’t know how to solve the problems that they face on a daily basis. They resort to anger and defiance because they know they can control their parents with their behavior.