The adolescents of today have changed.

Essay by codyciscoCollege, UndergraduateA, May 2003

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In Search of Direction

Some people may believe that the adolescents of today have changed from how they used to be in the past, but I believe that the people that our children look to for guidance is what has changed. If we look around at the world that we have today, it is full of troublesome issues that teenagers must face. Adolescents will always need someone to point them in the right direction when they encounter these obstacles. Many different things influence children when they are young. Adolescents look up to their parents and family, as they are becoming young adults. In the Story by Alfred Lubrano titled, "Bricklayer's Boy" the bricklayer's son looks up to his father for guidance throughout his life and even after he has reached adulthood. Also the media influences adolescents through news and advertisements, while peers influence them by setting an example for how to treat others.

Even though the parents are not with the children all of the time, they still influence them in the decisions that they make. The parents of adolescents are the most influential people in their life, even though the media and peers also play an important part as role models.

Parents guide adolescents through their early years in life, and put them on the path that they will follow as they are maturing. Parents and their teachings determine how a child reacts to different situations that they face throughout adolescence. When a child is pressured to do drugs they should be able to remember what their parents taught them, and be able to make the right decision. Children's actions towards their friends are similar to their parent's actions towards them, as MacDonald says, "children with warm and supportive parents were motivated to seek intimate relationships with friends and,