Articles

Teen Individuality

A person's individuality consists of the qualities and characteristics that distinguish that person as a unique human being. Without a sense of uniqueness, it is difficult for a person to establish their own identity in the world and to understand the special role that they are capable of playing. Individuality is a very powerful part of being a teenager and the need for it grows as children get older. Young children's identities are often enveloped in the family's identity and they have little opportunity to express their own sense of self. But as they become teenagers, they have a greater need to establish their unique identity among their family and peers as individual characteristics and traits are what initiates change and drives society.

During teen years, children have a very strong potential to discover who they are - what interests them, what their skills are, their aim in life or long-term goals. However, peer pressure and a desire to conform often hinder this process. One of the most crucial aspect of a teenagers life is to get accepted by their peers and people around them. For this they follow the herd instead of doing what they personally want to. For instance, there is a popular basketball player who is liked by the majority, has a huge fan following in school and has maintained his individuality; chances are that some students would carry out a similar behaviour so as to get accepted by others. Teens nowadays only want to fit in, not to stand out. This is where the concept of “Self-esteem” plays its part. We often use the expressions "good self-esteem" or "poor self-esteem" to describe people's evaluation of their own worth. In the above mentioned example, the popular basketball player possesses a “good self-esteem” whereas students following him might  possess a “poor self-esteem”. When people have good self-esteem, they tend to view life from a positive perspective, seeing their potential value and possess confidence to bring out novelty. Poor or low self-esteem cause people to feel that everything they do in life is a lost battle, they always get the short end of the stick and lack the confidence to be original in presence of others.

Low self-esteem can be very painful and difficult to overcome. Self-esteem is something we come into the world with; it follows us through life like a shadow. If we lose it, we are lost. If we have we it, we can face all of life's trials and tribulations and maintain our sense of satisfaction and emotional well-being. Therefore, it is necessary for the parents, guardians, teachers and even fellow peers to push teens to make them aware of their talents, skills and encourage their individuality, thoughts and opinions. When everybody wears the same clothes, has the same hairstyle, talks about the same things, and has the same beliefs, all the kids in the school hallway just blend together into one blob of boredom. That is why individuality is so important. No one wants to live a totally predictable life. 

PARENTAL HELP

There exist different reasons for people to lose or lack their individuality. Considering those disparities, the following steps can be taken by the parents or the guardians to help develop an individual out of their child.

1. For teens at risk, parents need to take the time to acknowledge their teenagers' unique positive qualities. Unique qualities distinguish every human being. The fact that a teen may be depressed or difficult to relate to does not mean that the teen has no positive personality traits that need to be highlighted. For example, a fifteen-year-old girl who is doing poorly in school excels as an artist and musician. Or a fourteen-year-old boy with ADHD has many practical and social skills that will help him to succeed in the business world.

2. Give your teen control. Parents want to remain in control of your child to ensure she is safe and well cared for. By the teenage years, a teen is ready to control some of his/her life, choosing activities, friends and opportunities that interest them. Let go of some control to give your child the freedom to become an individual.

3. Help your child in setting goals. A goal-oriented teen will focus his/her efforts on activities and opportunities that help him/her achieve these goals. Whether a teen wants to lose weight, gain acceptance to a particular college, excel on the football field or become a part of the school cabinet, goals can help embrace his/her  individuality and achieve at the same time.

Marilyn Monroe once quoted “Imperfection is beauty, madness is genius, and it is better to be absolutely ridiculous than to be absolutely boring.”

It is therefore essential to inculcate the importance of being an “individual” into a child and encourage the originality they carry.