The Basics

There are a few things every parent should know if they are to survive the heart-wrenching, stomach-turning, migrane-inducing process that is raising a teenager. I have witnessed my parents fall victim to the cunning deviance of my past and present teenage years, and I see it only fair to educate other parents of teenagers on the cogs and wheels that is their childs mind.

First and foremost, anything and everything you say to your child is wrong. That is the cold hard truth. Even if it is the single most logical, level headed comment uttered by anybody ever! In a teenager's mind, our own opinion is above all. We did study for that math test, and we were just "holding it for a friend."

Now I do not mean to come across as a cynical pessimist who thinks that all teenagers all over the United States are masters of deception, I am just preparing you for the worst. My hope is that if god forbid you as parents are met with situations such as these, you are armed and ready. Trust me because I know that the most dangerous weapon any parent has in their arsenal is knowledge of what their teenager will think long before they think it.

That is what I hope to give my readers. I hope to equip them with such an ability. And although I may be viewed as a Benedict Arnold of the teenage community, as parents you're already facing an uphill battle and I see no harm in making the battle field a little bit more level.

So if you are a parent readying yourself for the turbulence of adolescence, or a parent already deep within the throes of your child's teenage years, I implore you to stay tuned for more truth about teens.