There are many ways a teenager can rebel by not conforming to the traditional rules at home and defying social obligations. Sometimes this rebellion may come with a cost but it mostly teaches an individual the ways of life and paves the way to adulthood.
Daaihunshisha Readington, the 18-year-old college student, prefers to observe the ways teenagers rebel and how society reacts to it. She then pens down her observations and thoughts in a book that was released last week. Teenage Rebellion is the story of two girls, one of whom is a rebel. “The one who is not is a reflection of my character. I have seen my friends and cousins rebel in so many ways. Some of those events are part of the fiction that I have written,” said Readington.
The young author says teenagers are always treated as children, and at the same time, everyone expects them to behave like adults. This dichotomy can be ended if parents in particular and the society in general become open to discussions on rebellion and the problems teenagers face, she believes.
The soft-spoken teenager does not sound like a rebel but she is disturbed by the fact that this phase of life is barely discussed in school or at home.
Readington says to have an amorous relationship at an early age or a teenager getting pregnant is also a kind of rebellion and it is by choice. However, she admits that the rising number of teenage pregnancies in the state is a problem and “families and schools can always help in making teenagers understand the consequences of hasty decisions”.
“Teenagers should also remember that their rebellion should not harm anyone, or for that matter, themselves. At times, even a smart teenager makes a fool of himself or herself while blindly rebelling. Also, adults should understand that teenagers need to be heard,” said the young author, who is an avid reader.
Readington, who wants to be a journalist, is aware of the various contentious social issues. About the taboos related to same sex relationship, she says everyone has the right to love and be loved and families should discuss sexual preferences with children.
But at the end it is the teenager who has to decide for life. To quote Anne Frank, one of Readington’s favourite authors, “Parents can only give good advice or put them on the right paths, but the final forming of a person’s character lies in their own hands.”
