The thinking goes like this:

1. Teenage "rebellion" is normal;
2. Because teenage "rebellion" is normal it is to be accepted, perhaps even encouraged by those who work regularly with teenagers;
3. Because teenage "rebellion" is normal, teenagers who do not rebel are "not normal," and will certainly have serious problems later in life;
4. Therefore, to be healthy, teenagers must rebel;

The Conclusion to this logic is that "Rebellion today equals healthy living tomorrow." Therefore, Rebellion is simply an investment in the future!

However, the Truth is that conflict and rebellion during the adolescent years is not inevitable. In fact, the adolescent years can be a time of great closeness between parents and teens. The fact that teenage rebellion is "common" does not make it "normal." By "common" we mean a behavior that is observed often; "Normal" means that a certain behavior is the way that God intended for the behavior to be from the beginning. Never confuse "normal" with "common."

Teenage rebellion is simply rebellion against authority, against their parents.

Rebellion is not simply a difference of opinion between parents and teens. Please do not interpret a difference of opinion as rebellion. And rebellion is not simply a teenager's attempt to "grow up" and become more "independent."

Instead, rebellion is the attempt to overthrow the legitimate family government that is in place. Rebellion in a family is similar in this respect to rebellion in a nation's government.

Rebellion by teenagers against their parents is the attempt to overthrow the parents as the authority in the home; the attempt by the teenager to make himself "King" in his own life; the rejection by the teenager of his parent's values and beliefs.

In every layer of human society God has instituted a system of "government" or a "chain of command structure." These systems are seen from national governments right down to marriages, families, and the church. Every social organization, or social system, has an organization that provides structure, teaches values to new members, provides for the enforcement of values among its members, and provides leadership.

The family is important to our society, as it provides the next generation with core values and beliefs, and with a model of appropriate behavior.

In America, the leading causes of teenage rebellion are:

1. Boyfriends/girlfriends.
2. Peer dependence, peer influence, and peer pressure;
3. Outside influences from the culture (especially the glorification of sex) delivered to teenagers through the entertainment media, such as popular music, movies, and TV;
4. Lack of parental supervision, or lack of parental influence;
5. Moral relativism in the culture;

Work with your teen, spend time with your teen, and talk with your teen. There is no substitute for your time and attention invested in his or her life.

First, because of a "fragile" brain. With the ADHD, some parts of the brain may be under-active, while other parts of the brain may be over-active. When the brain is already "out of balance," it is not uncommon to see neurologically based depressions, obsessive-compulsive disorders, learning disabilities, or even panic disorders.

Second, even if ADHD is the only neuologically based problem, constant failure at home, at school, and socially, can result in sadness, depression, anxiety, fear, worry, and giving up.

In children and teens diagnosed with ADHD we see these other problems:

• About 50% also have an Oppositional Defiant Disorder, or as teens a Conduct Disorder
• About 30% have a Mood Disorder such as Depression;
• About 25% have problems with Anxiety, Worry, excessive fears, or Panic Disorders
• About 25% have a specific Learning Disorder, making school even harder.

As a result of these kinds of problems, added on top of the problem of Attention Deficit Disorder, we get these results in the real world:

• Nearly 60% of students with ADHD will fail at least one grade in school;
• 30% of teens with ADHD will not graduate from High School;
• Only 5% of teens with ADHD will go on to graduate from college.

What is the solution? Children and teens with ADHD must receive appropriate diagnosis, treatment, and support. This is a disorder that CANNOT be ignored by parents, grandparents, teachers, pastors, or friends. ADHD is not just a matter of behavior around the dinner table. This is a situation that can impact a person's entire life.

Increase the odds of success by providing whatever level of treatment is necessary to bring about success. There are lots of treatment choices to choose from. Please don't put it off until "later." Learn what you can do right now by visiting the ADHD Information Library at http://www.ADD101.com.

Our most visited web site is our original ADHD Information Library found at NewIdeas.net. This site was originally developed in 1996 by Dr. Douglas Cowan, and has expanded each year since then, so that now it contains over 100 pages of free information for parents and teachers.

NewIdeas.Net has become so popular with parents that over 250,000 parents visit the site each year to read through the information.