Hi – Sue Blaney here with your Parenting Tip from Parenting Teens Info.com

My tip this week is
Accept non-conformity >>Listen

The young man behind the check-out counter at CVS was sporting an unusual hair cut last week – he called it a Bi-Hawk. It was a variation on a Mohawk with two stripes of hair sticking up on his head, instead of one. The spiked rows were a good two inches high, so one couldn’t miss him. He didn’t convey a sense of defiance or self-consciousness. I don’t know how his parents felt about his look, but actually, I hope they were proud of him. Whether you liked the look or not, this young man was very comfortable in his own skin.

Non-conformity in a teenager can be a sign of inner strength of character.

The tendency with teenagers is to fit in with the crowd. Particularly with teens in middle school and early high school, sticking out of the norm is not something they often feel comfortable with. There is a tendency to want to look like everyone else in their crowd, to do the same things, to go the same places…and if you are fortunate enough to have a teenager with the inner confidence and conviction to think differently and behave differently please consider it a virtue.

As long as the way your teen chooses to express his or her sense of individuality doesn’t hurt himself or others, I encourage you to allow it, accept it, and even celebrate it. Having a teen who is one of the sheep could mean s/he will follow the crowd right off a cliff.

Sometimes there is wisdom in crowds, but the child who has the individuality and courage to see another way and express a differing opinion has a strength of character that can help lead to a unique and exciting future. I say – go for it!

Thanks for subscribing to my Two-Minute Tips for Parenting
Teens…….

Til next time…I'm Sue Blaney