What roles do parents and friends play in the life of teenagers? By Soon Qi Wei

One role of parents in the life of teenagers is that of providing a moral compass for the teenagers. As parents are the people teenagers see most of the time, they are one of the most influential people in the teenager’s lives. Recently, the straits times reported that loan sharks have recruited teenagers to help them distribute illegal flyers. This shows how naïve teenagers are and how they are not mature enough to make their own decisions. Therefore, parents have huge roles and responsibilities to keep their child on the right path. Furthermore, if a teenager builds up good moral values at home, in the public and in society, good moral values would come very naturally as it is well practiced at home.          

One role of friends in the life of teenagers is that of providing support and comfort to one another. Friends play an important part in a teenager’s life as friends are there to provide support when he is in need of help. When a teenager is discouraged by bad test results or poor performances in CCAs, friends are there to help cheer him up. However, it is not wise to rely completely on friends for support as friends might offer the wrong comfort. For example, many teenagers are led astray by friends who offer a cigarette or a cup of beer to relax him. This shows how friends can provide the wrong comfort to a teenager.