Teenage life is very difficult, you go through puberty, relationships, and even the struggle of fitting in.“Who am I?” is a question oft-repeated by teenagers, though they may not voice it out loud or use precisely those words. One of the biggest challenges that they face during the transition between childhood and adulthood is this struggle with their own sense of identity. For one thing, it seems to constantly shift: they may act one way with a particular group of peers and completely different with another. There is a sense of being “neither here nor there”, also. They are so often in a state of becoming that it can be difficult, at any one time, to pinpoint exactly where they are.

Part of the confusion is caused by hormonal changes, which are occurring so rapidly at this stage in their lives. Their appearance is undergoing a radical transformation; their bodies not only look but also feel different. They’re suddenly confronted with issues that they’d given little thought to before: body odor, oily hair and acne, having their periods, needing to shave. The way that they see themselves in the mirror has a big impact upon their self-image. It’s human nature to want to identify who we are with the way our bodies are, and when changes are happening so quickly it can be hard to form a clear picture.

Parents often wonder why even previously obedient kids will suddenly start questioning everything that they’re told once they reach their teen years. Though it looks like nothing more than rebellion (and that may be part of it), what kids are really doing is exploring their own independence and preparing for the life of responsibility that lies ahead of them. If