Teens desperately want independence, yet they know they’re not fully prepared for it.

Teens reject parents as a way of separating and feeling more independent.

A parent's job is to respond to their teen through intellect rather than emotional reactivity.

Teens desperately want to be independent. They want to prove to themselves and the world that they are capable people.

While they know they will soon be adults, they fear they’re not ready. And in many ways, they’re not. Which is okay—it’s expected. But in their black-and-white, all-or-nothing perspective, teens hate failing to be completely independent. They hate this limbo: They want to be as competent as adults immediately, without having to learn all the necessary skills.

And here’s the catch: They know they can more easily become independent if they can learn life skills........

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