Ugh...I hate it when people label teens...

[TheMewster]

http://www.tddm.org/index.php/devotionals/sunday-special-request.html

This is an excellent devotional on an excellent site. It also proves a sad yet very much true point-when we hit the teen years, we get labelled as trouble. And ya know what? I think a lot of teens BECOME trouble because of the media stereotypes fuelled by this label, furthering the Cycle of Stereotyping. I encourage you teens out there to set a good example and prove the media wrong, and I encourage you adults out there to not judge all teens by our society's cover. God bless you guys.

[Atria35]

I think teenagers become trouble not because of stereotypes, but rather because our culture is more permissive of stuff like that. I remember working for a grocery store, and the self-entitled, rude people who came through! When disgraceful behaviour is allowed in adults (because when they threw fits, they were catered to and I was in the wrong >.>), I don't doubt that it's passed onto the kids- they're growing up in the same environment.

[Rusty Claymore]

What, you've never stuck "High my name is: Stupid" on someone's back? XD

[ABlipinTime]

We're all sinners.
I've never been labeled as "trouble", at least not to my face. My mom said she had expected that I'd be trouble when I was in my teens (because back then, I was the middle child, and according to one of my parents' theories, that could mean trouble), but that I had turned out better than she expected. God had other plans for me in mind.

Don't worry about the labels thing. People have a tendency to put too much weight on the value of other peoples' opinions. Granted, it's good to listen to criticism such that we can improve ourselves, and it's good to take advice to stay out of trouble, but such comments are things to take into consideration. If they aren't constructive or helpful comments or labels, they should be ignored.

If people don't like you or say bad things about you, such as that you (whether "you" specific or "you" generic, e.g. teens) are trouble, impress them. It actually gives you a little room (though not a strong foundation of respect) to surprise them and show them that you are better than what they could expect (Heck, politicians use this technique all the time: lower the standard such that normal seems like a blessing). I say this because I want you to consider others' opinions so that you can learn from their wisdom or so that you can gain something from others' advice. And I say this to more than just you Mewster, cause I'm sure that you're probably a good kid.

What's most important is that you focus on God. Yeah people label each other different things. However, that doesn't mean that the label is universally shared by even a fraction of the people in that group/business/generation(age group).

Cheer up. Care about God's opinion. If you strive to fit into His, you WILL get that respect you want to have.

[Mithrandir]

Like any stereotype, the "troubled teens" one gets blown out of proportion frequently. However, it wouldn't be a stereotype if there wasn't a grain of truth to it. From the parents perspective, it's pretty tough to figure out (let alone strike) the proper balance between offering freedom and maintaining discipline.

I'd offer this advice: As tough as this age is for you (both being this age and being treated like you're this age), you'll get though it eventually. Just hang in there!