This harsh economy has affected teenagers dramatically. Parents have no choice, but to work all day to pay for living expenses that are becoming less affordable. There are not a lot of jobs and the minimum wage is not enough to sustain a family. Many parents have up to two jobs, leaving their sons or daughters with a babysitter or leaving them to take care of themselves. When they are too busy cleaning the house or running errands that have to get done. According to David Elkind, ".teenagers are a privileged group who require special protection and nurturing. ".
The sons or daughters of these parents are forced to look after themselves, like a "premature adulthood thrust upon them. " They have no choice but to mature at an early age. When the parents finally realize that their kids are out of control, they are not able to put a stop to them. These young teenagers now believe that they are able to do grown up things, like drinking. These teens are not only able to realize that what they are doing is wrong. They did not have anyone to guide them, so they think it is alright. The future of this world is in the hands of these teenagers that have grown up too fast, because the bad economy has their parents working day and night.
The absences of these kid's parents, are forcing them to mature at an early age. When the parents finally realize the wrong they are doing, they are unable to restore their control. These young teenagers now believe that they are adults. They do adult things like drinking and partying. High schools are raging with "theft, violence, sex, and substance abuse. " Most teens take it as an advantage that their parents are not home to do drugs and have sex.
Every year more and more teenage girls are getting pregnant. Because they do not receive enough attention from their parents, they do things without thinking about the consequences. Their parents are "so involved in reordering their own lives, " that they do not have enough time to sit down with them and talk about sex.
