Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. Erik Erikson
came up with eight stages explaining the process through which
individuals should go through from infancy to late adulthood. In each
stage the individual faces, and hopefully gains mastery over certain
skills. Each stage then builds on the successful completion of the
previous stages.
Each stage is concerned with becoming competent in a certain area of
life. If the stage is managed well, the individual will feel a sense of
mastery, which he referred to as ego strength or ego quality.
But if the stage is handled poorly, the individual will experience a
sense of inadequacy. Erikson believes that the challenges of stages
that were not successfully dealt with may reappear later in life in the
form of problems.
Enumerated below are the eight stages, with special attention to stages five and six:
Psychosocial Stage 1: Trust vs. Mistrust (Infants, 0 to 1 year)
The first stage is the most fundamental stage in life and focuses on
the infant’s basic needs. Since an infant is utterly dependent, the
development of trust depends on the parents or guardians. The child’s
understanding of the world is provided by the parents and their
interaction with the child. If the child is exposed to an environment
of warmth and dependable affection, the child’s perspective of the
world will be one of trust. Once the child successfully develops trust,
he or she will feel safe and secure in the world. On the Other hand,
parents who are emotionally unavailable, inconsistent or rejecting
confer the feeling of mistrust.
Psychosocial Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (Toddlers, 2 to 3 years)
This stage is focused on children developing a greater sense of personal control as they begin to assert their independence. If
children at this stage are supported and encouraged in their increased
independence, they tend to become more confident and secure in their
ability to survive in the world. The parents’ patience and encouragement helps instil autonomy in the child. But children who are criticized and restricted by their parents tend to develop a sense of shame and doubt in their own abilities.
Psychosocial Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool, 4 to 6 years)
Children start to assert their power and control over the world through directing play and other forms of social relation. Children want to begin and complete their own actions for a purpose. They begin to plan and initiate activities with others. Once given this opportunity, children develop a sense of initiative and prepare for leadership and goal achievement roles. Conversely, if adults discourage the pursuit of independent activities, either through criticism or control, children develop a sense of guilt.
Psychosocial Stage 4: Industry vs. Inferiority (Childhood, 7 to 12 years)
Children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities through social interactions. They are more focused to bring a productive situation to completion instead of previous whims and wishes of play. They
tend to initiate projects, bring them to completion, and feel good
about what they’ve achieved. At this stage, teachers play a significant
role in the child’s development. In general, children who are
encouraged and commended by their teachers and parentsdevelop a feeling of competence and belief in their skills and abilities to achieve goals. Those who receive little or no encouragement will feel inferior and start to doubt their ability to be successful.
Psychosocial Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescents, 13 to 19 years)
During adolescence, the transition from childhood to adulthood is of utmost importance. It is the time when children are exploring their independence and developing a sense of self. They explore possibilities and start to establish their own identity based upon the results of their explorations. The adolescent is deeply concerned with how they appear to others. They start to look at the future in terms of relationships, career, families, housing, etc. During the later stages of adolescence, the child develops a sense of sexual identity.
As children make the transition from childhood to adulthood,
adolescents evaluate the roles they will play as adults. At first, they
are likely to experience some role confusion or mixed ideas and
feelings about how they will blend into society. As such, they are apt
to experiment with different types of behavior and activities. In the end, Erikson proposed that most adolescents will achieve a sense of identity as to who they are and where their lives are headed.
During the entire process, those who get enough encouragement and reinforcement through personal exploration are the ones who will emerge with a strong sense of self and a feeling of independence and control. In contrast, those who remain uncertain and doubtful of their beliefs and desires tend to be confused about themselves and the future.
Psychosocial Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adults, 20 to 34 years)
At the beginning of this stage, identity vs. role confusion is coming
to an end, and it persists at the foundation of the stage. Young adults
still yearn to blend their identities with their peers in their effort
to fit in. Erikson believes that people are sometimes isolated due to
intimacy. People are discouraged and fearful of rejections because it
is painful and the ego cannot bear such pain. Erikson also proposes
that intimacy has a counterpart: distantiationor
the willingness to isolate and if needed, to eliminate the forces and
people whose essence are perceived as threat, and whose domain seems to
impinge on the extent of one’s intimate relations.
Erikson posits that the moment people establish their identities,
they are ready to engage in long-term commitment. They are able to form
intimate relationships and readily make the sacrifices and compromises
that such relationships entail. If people fail to form intimate
relationships, then a sense of isolation may result. Moreover, those
who avoid intimacy can lead to isolation and sometimes depression.
Psychosocial Stage 7:Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood, 35 to 65 years)
Generativity pertains to the concern of guiding the next generation. People at this stage are focused on giving back to society by being productive at work and becoming involved in community activities and organizations. When a person achieves such objectives, a sense of generativity results. In contrast, those who are unable or unwilling to help society move forward feel unproductive and develops a feeling of stagnation.
Psychosocial Stage 8:Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Seniors, 65 years onwards)
As people grow older and become senior citizens, productivity slows
down and the focus shifts on reflecting back on life. It is during this
stage that people contemplate about accomplishments and are able to
develop ego integrity
if there is a perception that they had led a successful life. There is
a feeling of contentment and integrity if they believe that they have
led a happy and productive life. Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their life has been wasted and will experience disappointment and regrets. The individual will be left with feelings of bitterness and despair, often leading to depression and hopelessness.
Erikson’s stages of psychosocial development is one of the best-known theories of personality in psychology. Erik Erikson
came up with eight stages explaining the process through which
individuals should go through from infancy to late adulthood. In each
stage the individual faces, and hopefully gains mastery over certain
skills. Each stage then builds on the successful completion of the
previous stages.
Each stage is concerned with becoming competent in a certain area of
life. If the stage is managed well, the individual will feel a sense of
mastery, which he referred to as ego strength or ego quality.
But if the stage is handled poorly, the individual will experience a
sense of inadequacy. Erikson believes that the challenges of stages
that were not successfully dealt with may reappear later in life in the
form of problems.
Enumerated below are the eight stages, with special attention to stages five and six:
Psychosocial Stage 1: Trust vs. Mistrust (Infants, 0 to 1 year)
The first stage is the most fundamental stage in life and focuses on
the infant’s basic needs. Since an infant is utterly dependent, the
development of trust depends on the parents or guardians. The child’s
understanding of the world is provided by the parents and their
interaction with the child. If the child is exposed to an environment
of warmth and dependable affection, the child’s perspective of the
world will be one of trust. Once the child successfully develops trust,
he or she will feel safe and secure in the world. On the Other hand,
parents who are emotionally unavailable, inconsistent or rejecting
confer the feeling of mistrust.
Psychosocial Stage 2: Autonomy vs. Shame & Doubt (Toddlers, 2 to 3 years)
This stage is focused on children developing a greater sense of personal control as they begin to assert their independence. If
children at this stage are supported and encouraged in their increased
independence, they tend to become more confident and secure in their
ability to survive in the world. The parents’ patience and encouragement helps instil autonomy in the child. But children who are criticized and restricted by their parents tend to develop a sense of shame and doubt in their own abilities.
Psychosocial Stage 3: Initiative vs. Guilt (Preschool, 4 to 6 years)
Children start to assert their power and control over the world through directing play and other forms of social relation. Children want to begin and complete their own actions for a purpose. They begin to plan and initiate activities with others. Once given this opportunity, children develop a sense of initiative and prepare for leadership and goal achievement roles. Conversely, if adults discourage the pursuit of independent activities, either through criticism or control, children develop a sense of guilt.
Psychosocial Stage 4: Industry vs. Inferiority (Childhood, 7 to 12 years)
Children begin to develop a sense of pride in their accomplishments and abilities through social interactions. They are more focused to bring a productive situation to completion instead of previous whims and wishes of play. They
tend to initiate projects, bring them to completion, and feel good
about what they’ve achieved. At this stage, teachers play a significant
role in the child’s development. In general, children who are
encouraged and commended by their teachers and parentsdevelop a feeling of competence and belief in their skills and abilities to achieve goals. Those who receive little or no encouragement will feel inferior and start to doubt their ability to be successful.
Psychosocial Stage 5: Identity vs. Role Confusion (Adolescents, 13 to 19 years)
During adolescence, the transition from childhood to adulthood is of utmost importance. It is the time when children are exploring their independence and developing a sense of self. They explore possibilities and start to establish their own identity based upon the results of their explorations. The adolescent is deeply concerned with how they appear to others. They start to look at the future in terms of relationships, career, families, housing, etc. During the later stages of adolescence, the child develops a sense of sexual identity.
As children make the transition from childhood to adulthood,
adolescents evaluate the roles they will play as adults. At first, they
are likely to experience some role confusion or mixed ideas and
feelings about how they will blend into society. As such, they are apt
to experiment with different types of behavior and activities. In the end, Erikson proposed that most adolescents will achieve a sense of identity as to who they are and where their lives are headed.
During the entire process, those who get enough encouragement and reinforcement through personal exploration are the ones who will emerge with a strong sense of self and a feeling of independence and control. In contrast, those who remain uncertain and doubtful of their beliefs and desires tend to be confused about themselves and the future.
Psychosocial Stage 6: Intimacy vs. Isolation (Young Adults, 20 to 34 years)
At the beginning of this stage, identity vs. role confusion is coming
to an end, and it persists at the foundation of the stage. Young adults
still yearn to blend their identities with their peers in their effort
to fit in. Erikson believes that people are sometimes isolated due to
intimacy. People are discouraged and fearful of rejections because it
is painful and the ego cannot bear such pain. Erikson also proposes
that intimacy has a counterpart: distantiationor
the willingness to isolate and if needed, to eliminate the forces and
people whose essence are perceived as threat, and whose domain seems to
impinge on the extent of one’s intimate relations.
Erikson posits that the moment people establish their identities,
they are ready to engage in long-term commitment. They are able to form
intimate relationships and readily make the sacrifices and compromises
that such relationships entail. If people fail to form intimate
relationships, then a sense of isolation may result. Moreover, those
who avoid intimacy can lead to isolation and sometimes depression.
Psychosocial Stage 7:Generativity vs. Stagnation (Middle Adulthood, 35 to 65 years)
Generativity pertains to the concern of guiding the next generation. People at this stage are focused on giving back to society by being productive at work and becoming involved in community activities and organizations. When a person achieves such objectives, a sense of generativity results. In contrast, those who are unable or unwilling to help society move forward feel unproductive and develops a feeling of stagnation.
Psychosocial Stage 8:Ego Integrity vs. Despair (Seniors, 65 years onwards)
As people grow older and become senior citizens, productivity slows
down and the focus shifts on reflecting back on life. It is during this
stage that people contemplate about accomplishments and are able to
develop ego integrity
if there is a perception that they had led a successful life. There is
a feeling of contentment and integrity if they believe that they have
led a happy and productive life. Those who are unsuccessful during this phase will feel that their life has been wasted and will experience disappointment and regrets. The individual will be left with feelings of bitterness and despair, often leading to depression and hopelessness.
Student voice is the term used to embody and characterize the specific behavior
and distinct perspectives of young people across various learning
institutions that focus primarily on education. It empowers students
and endows them with the ability to influence learning to integrate
contexts policies, principles and programs.
Student voice represents the individual as well as the collective
outlook and attitude of young people within the framework of education.
It has been regarded in schools as both a figurative practice and as a
practical and utilitarian concern.
Student voice work is based on the following principles:
Young people have distinct viewpoints when it comes to the concept of education which includes schooling, teaching and learning.
Their perspectives command not only the attention but also the understanding and responses of adults.
They ought to be given active participation in shaping their education.
A number of typologies characterize the different practices that fall
within the context of student voice. One determines and establishes the
multiple roles for students in all respects of the education system,
such as education planning, research, teaching, analysis,
decision-making and advocacy.
Administrative Approaches
The presence of student voice is viewed as crucial to the educational process dating back at least to the time of John Dewey, or even earlier. Dewey
is renowned for his publications concerning education and his ideas
have been influential to educational reform. It was in 1916
when he started writing extensively about the need of engaging student
perspectives and experience in the curriculum of schools. His support
for student voice was epitomized by this statement:
“The
essence of the demand for freedom is the need of conditions which will
enable an individual to make his own special contribution to a group
interest, and to partake of its activities in such ways that social
guidance shall be a matter of his own mental attitude, and not a mere
authoritative dictation of his acts.”
Student voice is currently seeing a resurgence of importance as it has
been increasingly identified by a growing body of literature as a
significant factor throughout the educational process. Specific areas
where advocates are actively pushing for the acknowledgment of student
voice include curriculum design and teaching methods, Scholastic leadership and educational reform activities.
Curricular Approaches
There
are certain types of activities that can particularly incorporate
student voice; such activities include school planning, teaching,
research, decision-making, learning and instructional analysis,
educational advocacy, and student advisories for school authorities.
Service Learning
The main objective of service learning is to actively engage student voice, which normally aims to relate learning objectives with community service
opportunities. Student voice is likewise present in student leadership
programs, practical education activities, and other forms of student-centered learning activities.
Students as Education Decision-Makers
The main concept behind engaging students as educational decision-makers is to teach young people to be responsible for their education by methodically engaging
them in making the right choices about the education system – from what
affects individual students, to what affects the entire student body,
and what affects the school system as a whole.
The essential duties of school authorities include school building design, teacher hiring, selecting the appropriate curriculum,
calendar year planning, among others. Such duties are currently
regarded as avenues for student voice. Today, students are taking part
in boards of education
at all levels. There are education agencies that accept students as
staff in programs where they are allowed to make decisions regarding
school assessment, grant making, and other areas. Students also latch
on decision-making by constituting and implementing codes of conduct
and in personal decision-making, such as deciding whether to attend
school, what course to pursue and which classes to choose.
Outcomes
Student
voice is now widely regarded as a key to a successful school reform, as
researchers, educational institutions, and academic support
organizations across the globe increasingly press for the involvement
of students in the reform process after recognizing student voice as a
crucial element of student engagement.
Criticisms
Critical educators including Henry Giroux, Paulo Freire and Gloria Jean Watkins
have expressed concern about the singular idea of a student voice. An
expert even wrote about the apparent over-simplification, stating that:
“It
is not enough to simply listen to student voice. Educators have an
ethical imperative to do something with students, and that is why
meaningful student involvement is vital to school improvement.”
Timeline of Children’s Rights in the United Kingdom
The timeline of children’s rights in the United Kingdominvolves a spate of events dating back to the 15th century. The various events that transpired to date are regarded as both political and grassroots in nature.
The British government upholdsitsstance that the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (UNCRC) cannot be put into effect legally and is therefore ‘aspirational‘ only, despite the fact that a 2003 European Commission of Human Rights(a.k.a. Convention for the Protection of Human Rights and Fundamental Freedoms)ruling
states that, “The human rights of children and the standards to which
all governments must aspire in realising these rights for all children
are set out in the Convention on the Rights of the Child.” Roughly eighteen years following its enactment, the four Children’s Commissioners in the United Kingdom (including those for the three devolved administrations) have concurred in pushing for the adoption of the Convention into local legislation, thereby making children’s rights well recognized and legally binding.
Those lobbying against children’s rights often raise the spectre of rights without responsibilities. The children’s rights movement contends otherwise, asserting that children have rights which adults, states and the government have a responsibility to uphold. In general, a 2008 report enounced that there had been no improvement in children’s rights in the United Kingdom since 2002. With a warning that there is a “widely held fear of children and young people” in the country, the report states:
“The incessant portrayal of children as thugs and yobs” not only
reinforces the fears of the public but also influences policy and
legislation.”
The UNCRC defines children, for the purposes of the Convention, as individuals under the age 18, unless local legislation provides otherwise. In such essence, the timeline includes as children all those below the UK age of majority, which was set at 21 until 1971, when it was lowered to 18. Even though the Crown Dependencies of the Isle of Man, Guernsey and Bailiwick of Jersey are not constitutionally part of the United Kingdom, the British government is liable for their foreign affairs and for that reason, it is equally responsible for their international treaty obligations, so the timeline includes some references to matters in those dependencies.
For a comprehensive listing of the significant eventualities in the
United Kingdom as they relate to children’s rights, from pre-16th century to November of 2008, click on this link.
Adolescent
medicine is a medical subspecialty that deals primarily with the care
and treatment of patients who are in the adolescent stage of
development. This period typically starts between the ages of nine to 11 for females and 11 to 14 for males. Considered as a primary care subspecialty, adolescent medicine integrates various iatrical aspects including dermatology, endocrinology, gynecology, nutrition, psychology and sports medicine. It is likewise an integral component of internal medicine, family practice, pediatrics, and youth health.
Medical practitioners who delve in the practice of adolescent medicine
often address issues and disorders with a high prevalence during
adolescence. These include the following:
§Menstrual disorders like amenorrhea, dysfunctional uterine bleeding and dysmenorrhea
§Mental illnesses, particularly anxiety disorders, personality disorders, bipolar disorder, major depression, suicidal ideation and certain types of schizophrenia
Healthcare providers who deal with adolescents normally take a holistic
approach as they try to gather information relevant to the patient’s
well-being. The approach closely resembles the biophysical model which is epitomized in the HEADSS assessment. It is a screening acronym for adolescent patients and stands for Home, Education, Activities, Drugs, Sex, and Suicidality.
Aside from a comprehensive medical history, adolescents ought to
undergo a thorough physical examination as well as a mental health
status exam at least once a year. The physical exam should include sexually transmitted infections (STI)
testing, a neurological assessment, and a reproductive system exam. In
addition, developmental progression should be documented on an annual
basis, and endocrinological tests should be considered especially among patients who fail to develop in a normal manner.
Young women must be properly educated on how to examine their breast for signs of breast cancer, and young men should know how to examine their penis and testicles for STDs and cancer. Laboratory tests, including a CBC to screen for anemia, and a fasting lipid profile or a spot cholesterol check to screen for hyperlipidemia should be undertaken at least once during the adolescent period.
For those who are sexually active, especially patients who are living in areas of high prevalence, screening tests for STDs should be done, including rapid plasma reagin (RPR) or venereal disease research laboratory (VDRL)
test for syphilis, screening for HIV, chlamydia and gonorrhea. Females
who are sexually active must have a pelvic exam, including a Pap smear to screen for cervical cancer.
In terms of immunizations, the following are deemed imperative: a meningitis vaccination, a tetanus vaccination or booster shot, the Gardasil vaccine against HPV particularly for sexually active young women, and an annual influenza inoculation.
If you happen to be parenting a teenager, one of the stark realities that you have to face is teen dating violence. Most parents think that their teenager is too young to be dealing with such an issue, but the truth is that teen dating violence is increasingly becoming more rampant in society. As a matter of fact, recent statistics revealed that approximately 1 in 5 high school students report being physically and/or sexually abused by a dating partner. Moreover, more than half of the respondents admitted to compromising their values just to please their partner. Another study reported that more than half of today’s teens have experienced dating violence and that females aged 16 to 24 are more susceptible to intimate partner violence than any other age group. Yet another troubling
statistic is that 81% of parents surveyed either believe teen dating
violence is not an issue or admit they don’t know if it’s an issue.
Having said all these, what exactly can you do about it?The first step is to make sure that your teen is well informed about these possibilities. Communication is the key, it may be tough but it is a necessary one. Get
into the habit of talking to your teen on a regular basis. Establishing
a close relationship with your teen while she’s young will make it
easier for her to approach you when a problem comes about.Your teen may not be aware of the signs of dating violence. Most of them feel pressured to have and stay in a relationship, particularly if they perceive it as a ‘serious’ one. Peer pressurecan set in and prompt them to stay in violent relationships because they consider it as a status symbol which is frequently the result of pressure from peers to engage in dating relationships.
Teen dating violence runs across race, gender, and socioeconomic lines.
Both males and females are victims so whether you have a teenage son or
daughter, it is your responsibility as a parent to make them realize
that abusive, controlling and violent behaviors are not normal.Physical aggression has no place in a healthy relationship at any time and victims can and should stand up for themselves.
It is unfortunate but there are instances when teenagers opt to stay in
a controlling or abusive relationship because they believe there is no escape and no one to run to for help. Educating your teen can help them from falling prey to dating violence and abuse.Teenagers ought to know that there are many resources for help. It is also crucial to build your teen’s self esteem from a young age and impart to them the notion that they are worthy of being treated with utmost respect and dignity by their friends and partners.
Teach your teen how to watch for danger signs when they go out on dates. Some teenagers are quite naive so they have to be warned that dating violence can happen in any relationship. There are early warning signs of dating violence, but such signs will only be recognized if your
teen knows exactly what to look for. It is important to stem the
problem at its earliest since violent relationships tend to have
serious ramifications for victims. Studies show that teens who
choose to stay in violent relationships are at higher risk for suicide,
substance abuse, eating disorders and risky sexual behavior.
It is advisable for you to set standards for your teen’s dating behavior and you should always know who your teen is going out with. It is your responsibility as a parent to protect your children from the perils in society and make your teen’s safety your top priority.
With
the drastic changes in modern society, teenagers are becoming sexually
active at earlier ages. What young people ought to know about sex should start with their parents. They must be the first source of sex education
for their teens. A lot of parents are confused, if not afraid, about
what they should impart to their teens when it comes to the topic of
sex. They are also often worried that sexual information could trigger
or increase their teen’s interest in experimentation. However, several studies
have revealed that sex education do not encourage or heighten sexual
activity. In fact, well informed teenagers make better decisions about
their sexuality when they have the notion that no subjects are regarded
as taboo at home.
Sex is a topic that should not be taken lightly. Teenagers are prone to
suffer lots of consequences if they are unaware of the essential
aspects that they should know about sex.
Some parents tend to wait for their teens to approach them and ask
about the matter. But if it does not happen, they tend to be anxious
when their teens never ask questions that are sexual in nature. Parents
must realize that teenagers pick up cues and have perhaps realized that
topics related to sex make them jittery and uncomfortable. As a result,
teens just try to steer away from the topic and this is often the root of the problem. Who’s better to explain the morality and repercussions of sex to teenagers than their parents? They
are gravely mistaken if they believe that they no longer have the
responsibility to teach their teens about sex and sexuality simply
because human sexuality can be learned in school.
Parents must realize that in most cases, schools only teach about the
anatomy and physiology of human sexuality. It usually ends there that’s
why morality and issues related to sex remain proscribed.
This is precisely the reason why parents should take an active role and
teach their teens about their moral obligations when it comes to sex, including their moral obligations toward their partner.
This is of particular importance if teenagers are already sexually active. Parents must take on the responsibility of opening their eyes about the possible repercussions of their actions. Teenagers must have a clear awareness and understanding about the implications of their sexual behavior. There are really a lot of issues to impart to teens about sex to help them protect themselves from easily falling prey to its hazards. Parents
must be a part of their teen’s lives and make them feel good about
their sexuality from the onset. This way, it would be easier for teens
to take time out and sit down with their parents and talk about the
matter in a manner that is stress-free and without hesitations or restrictions. Altogether, sex education is definitely a difficult topic to discuss with teenagers but parents must realize that it is just another crucial responsibility that they can’t escape from.
With the
financial crisis in the world and without it we all have a need to save
money, either to survive until the next month, or to save money for our
kids to go to college. There are numerous reasons for saving money, and
here is some insight on how to save money in at least 66 ways. But keep
in mind that there are much more ways to save money and you can use
these for starters and for a guideline in finding more ways to save
money.
You can save money on various things from utility bills to simple
home budgeting. Mostly you can save money on transportation, insurance
and banking services. I will list a whole lot of ways to save money,
most effective for each of the following groups: Transportation,
Insurance, Banking/Credit, Housing, Utilities etc…. For everything that
is missed out here you can find out on www.usa.gov.
As for transportation the most effective way to save money when
buying a car consist of several steps. First step is finding low cost
vehicle that has all the necessities needed but has low gasoline
consumption, easy to find parts and low maintenance cost. Once you have
done that the next step is to find an appropriate insurance. The right
insurance has to have everything you need, but it has to be affordable.
So there are multiple ways to save on car insurance
and they can go from clean driving record to the line of work and place
of residence. But the most important thing is finding the best quotes,
and you can compare quotes using online search engines like Google or
Yahoo.
The third step is banking and credit options and they are many, from
regular savings accounts to mutual funds and credit card
responsibility. Well you can deposit an amount of money in a savings
account and wait for the interest rate to go up and you can do all
sorts of other things, but the most important thing is responsible debt
keeping. We are all credit card happy in this day of age, but not all
of us are credit card responsible. What you need to do in order to
avoid your interest piling up is paying your rate at least a week
before the statement due date. Or at least pay as much as you can each
month in order to lower the interest rate for the bank.
As for utilities and housing you need to keep in mind like with
everything else that it is very important to understand what you are
paying for. For example if you want your house redecorated you first
want to find the appropriate firm to do the redecorating and once you
do you want to make sure they do exactly what you need before paying.
Never pay up front, as that may leave you with empty pockets and a
lousy work that you paid for.
There are many other ways to save money
and you can find most of them on educational sites like government
websites and Wikipedia. You need to know that there is always another
way to save money without denying yourself anything necessary.
Believe it or not probably the
biggest consumer body is made of teenagers. That’s why this is called
consumer tips for teens, because as the largest consumer body you are
most likely to be a victim of a scam or breach of rights due to little
or no knowledge of your legal rights. So you need to know your rights,
you need to plan ahead for the future and you need some advice
on how to become a responsible young person in order for you to manage
in the world around you. The basic steps you need to pay attention to
are buying goods or services, your health and safety, rights and
responsibilities, finances, privacy issues, transportation, living on
your own and recreation.
When
purchasing something be sure you know what you are paying for, if you
want to buy a food product make sure to check all the information’s
like expiration date and ingredients, you don’t want to buy an old
product or a product that is bad for you. And if you need to file a
complaint make sure you do it straight away as it raises the chances of
a successful complaint.
The biggest part of health and
safety can be related to the use of cosmetic products. Most of cosmetic
products offer a healthy benefit like aloe vera effect which helps your
skin. But some of those products do not have the benefits that are
stated, some even have negative effect, so always keep a lookout for
new products and suspicious ingredients.
Law and legal rights may be your
weapon of defense, but they are also a great responsibility to beer.
But knowing the legal rights you insure yourself a safe life. If you
are a person under 21 it is illegal to have any form of alcohol or
drugs in your vehicle and that may cause you to pay fines or even get
your license suspended. That means not only that you can’t drink and
drive, you are not allowed to have a can of beer in your vehicle when
you are driving. So be careful about those things.
When thinking about your future and
you finances you need to keep one thing in mind in order to manage your
finances to an affordable level. You need to keep track of all your
incomes and all your expenses. Calculating the difference may provide
you with an insight in future savings.
Every teenager has some online
account which requires a password. You need to make that password
totally random. Something like hG3y4Tsv will be much harder password to
break than your birthday. And make sure you keep all your information’s
confidential and change your password on a regular basis.
One of the most often problem with
transportation when driving your own vehicle is inexperience. Whatever
you do you need to do it calmly and according to the law. If by any
chance you are stopped by a police officer be sure to do everything
according to regulations, and never give the officer reason to suspect
you.
When the time comes for you to go
to college you will have to live on your own or with a roommate. First
thing you need to do is make sure that your new apartment is safe.
Check the neighborhood, is the location safe, who are your neighbors,
what is the security level in that part and is there any security
equipment in your building.
There are many ways to be safe and to plan ahead. But in order to do that we need to educate ourselves. And we can do that in many ways. The easiest way today is using internet, as it provides us with all the answers we need.
Like every other kid with certain years
you get some more freedom and you get some more responsibilities. One
of the responsibilities as a teenager is managing your money. And that
may sound too serious for a kid and you might not see the point to it
right away, but it’s a place to start, a place to grasp your
responsibilities and a place to know how to handle them. Managing your
money from early age may bring you a lot of benefits, and not just
financial kind. It may help you become a more reliable and responsible
adult.
So what you need to do is start saving some of your money. Any
amount will be fine. You need to open up a savings account or you don’t
but it’s a big plus. Basically what you do is take a little portion of
your earning, whether that is from your birthday or from your part time
job and deposit that money into a savings account. When you get some
money, that would be the first thing you should do, and after that you
may deal with your money accordingly to your needs. Always be sure to
have a savings jar, it may sound silly, but if you every day empty your
pockets for change at the end of the month you will have a nice amount
of money that you can either spend or also put in your savings account.
Once you got that covered you should start budgeting.
Yeah, that sounds serious, something that adults would do, but it will
help you and it’s not that hard. All you need to do is figure out how
much your income is every month and keep track of your expenses. So if
you get $50 a week and spend $5 every day on snacks and fun that still
leaves you with $15 to put into your account. And if you spend more
than you get, well you might want to consider cutting down on some
expenses or getting a part time job.
The rest of managing your money is just calm thinking. There is no
need to rush anything, especially when you are making a purchase. If
you want to buy an expensive item, you need to ask yourself do you
really need that item, maybe you can find the same thing for much less.
Always be careful when buying new stuff, read the labels as you don’t
want to throw your money away on something useless. And always be
careful not to fall a victim to scam, because there are a lot of frauds
targeting teens for their money scams.
Figure out your goals for the future that may be an important motive
for saving your money. Maybe you want to go to a good college and you
need some money saved, or you want to buy a new car then, whatever your
goal is it may help you achieve a lot if you dedicate yourself, it can
certainly set standards for your money saving habit.
Every teenager in the world wishes to
travel and to explore new countries, new places, to meet new people,
basically to live a full life. Most of the teenagers unfortunately
don’t have the means to travel around the world, many of teenagers
don’t have the funds to travel to the neighboring state. There are
places that you can go with no money, but if you are set to go to some
other country and have the funds you need to be careful with many
things. And the best way to be careful is to be prepared, once you are
prepared you can deal with any situation that may occur.
First thing you need to do is check everything
you need for your trip, from passport to customs regulations. You need
to cover every possible detail in order to have a safe travel. One of
the most important things when traveling overseas or to any country
that has a different currency is to prepare the currency up front. You
won’t get far if you go to the country you don’t know without some
local currency in your pocket.
Why is it important to prepare foreign currency up front? Several reasons, the most important reason is that you may find the currency exchange rates
to be different in some other country and not as beneficial or adequate
as in the US. Let’s say you exchanged $100 for 1.300 Mexican Pesos,
which would be if you exchanged your money in US where the exchange
rate is approximately 1:13 in favor of the US dollar. But if you went
to Mexico and tried to exchange your money there you might find that
the exchange rate is 1:11, and you will lose 200 pesos that way. It is
very important to find the best exchange rate for your travel,
especially if you are on a limited budget, as that may prove
significant.
One other thing to keep in mind when exchanging rates in the US is that
not all exchange facilities offer the same rates. You may find that
your local exchange office has 1:30 ratio for some other currency, and
that some other exchange office has 1:28 ratio for the same currency.
To be able to know what the best rate is you can check television
reports or you can check online
to see the average currency rate for the currency that you are
interested in. You should also be aware that if any currency rate
varies more than 10% from the given rate by the US Treasury you should
avoid exchanging money at that exchange office.
When you exchange money up front with the right exchange rate you
are all set for enjoying your travel. This way you eliminate the chance
of being left with less money than you planned to carry or spend and
you won’t have to be afraid of getting lost in another country with no
money. For everything you do in your life preparation is important,
especially when you are journeying into unknown.
