A major issue of tension between parents and children is the teenage years and the desire for increased independence between the two sides. There are many different levels of independence and many different areas where this independence expresses itself with teenagers. For most individuals this growing independence is vital to the emergence of the teenager as an adult. The first level for a
. teenager is often emotional independence. The older the child becomes the more they rely on themselves and their friends for emotional support and expression. Teenagers begin developing deeper relationships with those around them and begin distancing themselves more and more from their parents. As this independence grows it can become a great concern for the parents as the natural instinct to protect and shelter their offspring continues. This often leads to conflict between the parent who wants to allow the independence but also protect the child and the teenager who wants to live their own life and make their own mistakes. The second level of independence for a teenager is often financial. This level is required to truly start to build the divide between parent and child and is vital to true independence as an adult. This is often expressed through increased responsibility and the acquiring of a paying job. At this point conflict is often from the direction of the parents trying to encourage financial independence from their children and the teenager trying to hang on to the free time they have been used to previously. The last level for a teenager is physical independence. This is often expressed early on by the success in gaining a drivers license and the ability to accomplish tasks without any help from the parents. This level ends in full independence when the child leaves the shelter supplied by the parents and finds their own place to live. At this point the teenager will be considered both physically and legally independent from their parents. http://www.more4kids.info/2286/parenting-and-teen-independence/ or http://www.teenagedays.com/teenage-independence/
