Teenage is one of the most eventful periods of life. Teenagers start developing their likes and dislikes during this period. They suddenly feel the desire to use liberty in their own terms, and in most cases, unknowingly land in trouble. One of the dangerous things that a teenage may be trapped in is any kind of fad. Fads or whims, which generally are initiated by peer-pressure, have serious consequences involved. Fads may lead to a health disorder, mental imbalance, frustration to the extent of attempting suicide or in worst cases legal risks. Parents, if aware, can play the most vital role in preventing such dangers. Take a look at a few risky teen fads to help you keep your adult kid away from all the negativity:
1. Smoking or inhaling Smarties-a deadly trap
One of the most popular teen fad is smoking; an act which seems to transform a teenager into an adult. In most cases, teenagers find it difficult to buy cigarettes so they indulge in inhaling Smarties, which has become the newest craze amongst teens. Smarties are fruit-flavored candies, which are crushed into powder in the wrapper, and then poured into the mouth.
The teens blow out the Smarties dust just like a smoker’s exhale. Until the dust clogs their lungs, this act seems harmless physically. But the real concern is that it shows the interest of the kid in smoking. It could also mean an inclination towards using drugs. Parents should educate their kids about the harmful side-effects of smoking or take them to a visit to one of the Rehabilitation Centers to show them the condition of the people affected by the use of drugs.
2. Sexting – a vulnerable act
Another very dangerous fad, which can leave your kid emotionally disturbed, is sexting. Sexting is an act to send explicit and suggestive self-images to friends and companions through mobile phones or other texting devices. Most of the times, teenagers do it for pure fun or due to peer-pressure but the consequences are too dangerous to handle later on.
It can ruin their name and their family’s reputation in the society. It can also lead to emotional harassment, permanent mental damage and worst of all, legal problems, once these pornographic pictures come out in open. Parents need to keep a tab on their teen kid’s mobile phones or install a software service such as the Mobile-Spy.
3. The Thin Fad
Teens tend to imitate their favorite fashion icons and swear by their figure. Media and peer pressure too, give them an impetus to finally go for a body which is wafer-thin. Hence, they restore to fad diets such as Raw Food Diet, 2-4-6-8 diet, Ultra-Low Calorie Diets and so on, which promise to turn them ‘hot’. They fail to realize that most of these diets are not meant for a teen and will turn into dire consequences unless adopted with proper knowledge and guidance.
Teen Diet fads result into eating disorders, health problems such as gastronomical disorders, weakness, hair loss, irritable mood to name a few. Parents should be role-models here, to encourage their kid to eat healthy and exercise regularly to achieve the desired body.
4. Car Surfing – the racy demon
One of the recent and trendy fads, which tops on the list of risky teen fads, is car surfing. It is an act where a teen climbs on the roof of a moving car and tries to keep his balance. Another style of car surfing is to surf on skateboarders along with a car moving at a high speed. This thrilling sport ends up in serious physical injuries or death.
Head injury is most common when a teen car surfer is tossed on the road due to swerving or putting the brakes by the driver. Guardians need to make the teen kids aware of the fatal consequences of this deadly fun and ensure that they follow the rules and regulations of the road.
5. ‘Hard’ Parties
Teenage is a stage of life when teenagers start enjoying their newly found freedom. Partying gives an adult-like feeling to a teen and a teenager enjoys every bit of the fun these parties bring along. Sadly, these parties include some of the tremendously risky fads which can lead to physical and mental disorder. Alcohol Eyeballing, a trend where the alcohol enters the blood stream through the teen’s eye can lead to loss of vision. The Purple Drank, a popular teen fad, is a deadly concoction of codeine cough syrup, Sprite and Jolly Ranchers, and gives a Zombie feeling leading to hallucination and loss of control and sense. Rainbow Parties, another teen fad, where a group of girls wearing different shades of lipsticks involve in oral sex on a single or more guys can lead to STD’s and damage of reputation.
Some of the other teen fads are The Choking Game, Vampire Bites, the Ball-Tapping Game and i-Dosing to name a few. Teen Fads are dangerous but the solution does not lie in getting panicky. What is required is to be more than a friend to your teen kid, informing your kid about the potential hazards and expressing your love towards him. Love has the magical power to keep your kid away from all the dangers of the world.
