As boys approach the teenage years, they face many changes in different aspects of their lives. With these changes come some common worries typical of the average teenage boy, which may include (but are not limited to):
1.Appearance
With the onset of puberty around ages twelve or thirteen, boys begin to notice obvious changes in their bodies, particularly in body hair. By ages fourteen to fifteen, the voice begins to change and break. At ages fifteen to seventeen, facial hair begins to appear, along with acne and obvious growth spurts. Naturally, boys feel self-conscious about such changes. In addition, they experiment with different styles of clothing and hair in order to determine what kind of identity they have and where they fit in. Uncertainty in self-appearance is a very common cause of concern for the teenage boy.
2.Friends and Popularity
During his teenage years, a boy's friends are more important than ever. As a result, teen boys commonly worry about having the “right” friends, which cliques they fit into, and how others think of them. Often, they are trying to decide which crowd they belong to, whether it’s with the athletes, the artists, the scholars, the class clowns, etc. In addition, they worry about people liking them – acceptance is very important to all teenagers, male and female. When a teen feels a lack of acceptance, it can be a major cause of stress and worry.
3.Peer Pressure
As a teenage boy tries to find his identity and where he belongs socially, he may feel pressured by his friends to try different risky behaviors, including drugs, alcohol, thrill seeking, staying out late, and experimentation with the opposite sex. Because acceptance and friends are so important to the average teenage boy, trying to find where he stands on certain behaviors can be a source of anxiety.
4. Girls
Early in the teenage years, girls suddenly become more interesting. As a teen boy begins to search for acceptance, he realizes that such acceptance by the opposite sex is more important than ever. He worries how girls perceive him, especially as he opens himself to the possibility of rejection. The idea of dating and relationships is something quite new to the teenage boy and figuring out the complicated mind of a girl can be a definite worry of any teenage boy. In addition, as his hormones kick in, he may feel confused about sexuality and how they relate to the opposite sex.
5.Driving
Driving is a major rite of passage in the teenage boy’s life. Having a driver’s license and keys to a car is a huge boost to his sense of independence. While he may worry about passing the driving test and getting his license, more often than not, he is more concerned about what kind of car he will drive and how cool he’ll look. He may worry about what others think about the car he is currently driving or how he will earn the money to get a car he really likes. Also, he may feel pressure by his friends to drive them around or to drive in a way he knows isn’t safe – he may worry more about impressing others than safety in some cases.
6.School and Extracurricular Activities
School and extracurricular activities can be major worries to a teenager. Worries about grades are often felt, particularly as he gets closer to graduation, as he realizes college applications aren’t as far away as they seemed. In addition, teenagers are involved in a variety of teams, clubs, activities, and groups. On top of the responsibilities of schoolwork and extracurricular activities, many teenage boys also juggle a part-time job. Often, with so many demands on their time and attention, teens can feel like they don’t have enough time or energy. Or they may not feel like they have enough time for fun, friends, and dating. Trying to balance time and responsibilities may feel overwhelming and confusing.
7.Future Plans
While teens feel the pressure of meeting school and extracurricular obligations, they also feel the stress of planning for life after high school. They begin to wonder where they will go to college, how they will afford tuition and living expenses, where they will live, and what they will study. Having to make so many important decisions all at once can be a big worry of any teenage boy, especially as people will ask him about his future plans. The prospect of becoming a man is both exciting and intimidating on many levels for the typical teenage boy.
Teenage boys face a lot of challenges and worries as they mature to adulthood. However, with the help and support of his parents and good friends, he can navigate his way through the teenage years with success.
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