Being young is a real conflict

A partir de esta edición, publicaremos regularmente una columna de la sicóloga juvenil y profesora de Inglés, Patricia Kortmann, quien trabaja en el Colegio Santa Marta y la Universidad de los Lagos, en Osorno. La educadora utiliza el idioma inglés en sus textos pues -dice- «aprovechar el idioma permite captar mayor atención. Hoy en día Inglés es el idioma universal. Por el buen resultado logrado en proyectos similares  realizados con mis alumnos, es que decidí hacer esta propuesta». Invitamos particularmente a los jóvenes a traducir y leer esta columna, que -a partir de hoy-publicaremos con regularidad.

Being young is a real conflict

*A constant internal questioning in youngsters.

*Parents and adolescents are usually in trouble

When a family is formed, meaning parents and children living together, there are constant disagreements when a teenager needs to clarify his or her “space”. In general, young parents of nowadays overprotect their children, thinking that they doing right in this way. Becoming a professional was the ideal form for the parents of today, but the consequences are being noticed on the children from early age.

The time for attending school has come. Happy parents enrol their little children in a school they have chosen according to the characteristics they want. Time passes, children grow and parents forget that they are responsible for educating their sons or daughters, on behalf with the school. Adolescents claim now their breathing space, and conflicts begin to come up bigger and bigger. Why? Just because teenagers are becoming aware of what they know through new “friends”, relations with…, background, means of information, etc.

At this stage is when conflicts with themselves start to take place because of the knowledge they have been getting using their own experience. At this point, they are not walking hanging from the hand of father or mother; they are alone confronting their reality as they see it. Problems are becoming a real consequence of their feelings; of the way they look at reality, from the point of view of their interests, and all of those changes that involve becoming young.

Most of parents do not understand all the changes or do not want to understand that their children have grown. Youngsters have got tools now, for defending their interests, likes and/or preferences. The real conflict comes when none of both parts (parents and adolescents) try to communicate. Parents do not usually tell clear limits and adolescents do not accept parents’ proposals. As a consequence, arguments appear to form part of everyday life and young people feel loneliness. Don’t you agree?

Patricia Kortmann P.