elief systems to their parents. This rebellion, although it doesn't seem it at the time, is a sign of normal, healthy growth and development. It is actually healthier for a teenager to show some independence of spirit than to just uncritically accept everything their parents tell them.
             Many parents comment that one of the most upsetting aspects of the teenage years is that their previously loving child becomes very critical of them. It is hard to go from the younger years when your child thought you were perfect, to a time when your dress, taste in music, and general being on the planet is a source of embarrassment. This can be slightly easier to cope with if parents understand the psychology behind it. The main task of adolescence, and the most difficult, is learning to be independent. In order to become less dependent, teenagers need to give new credence to their own ideas and opinions. In addition, it is easier for them to separate from their parents if they believe they aren't losing so much. Thirteen or so years of loving parents completely and unconditionally can be hard to shake. Therefore, consciously or unconsciously many teenagers cut their parents down to human proportions to make it easier to separate from them.
             It is helpful for parents to understand this process and try not to take it too personally. If teenagers are given freedom to voice their own opinions and feelings in a respectful env
             ...