Clash of Bloods: Sentiments of Parents and Teenagers Having Conflict with Each Other

Abstract

INTRODUCTION

Parent-teenager conflict is common because it is part of both party's development. The parents were bewildered and at the same time hurt by their children's manners. However, parent-teenager conflict is additionally associated with bitterness and depression which conjure up the special feature in a parent-teenager conflict which are the contingent factors. In this study, the conflicts between parents and teenagers, how the conflicts occur, coping up the conflicts in the family and their realization after fighting each other were explored.

METHODS

The main method of this qualitative research was the qualitative phenomenological tradition to describe the lived experiences of the participants. The informants of this study were teenagers with age ranging from 13-18 years old and parents who had a conflict with their children from Brgy. Banate, Malungon, Sarangani Province and Brgy. Osmeña, Sulop, Davao del Sur.

RESULTS

Findings revealed that the majority of the parent participants shared that doing household chores, money matters, and strolling was the most common reason for conflict with their children. On the other hand, the sentiments of parents-teenagers having conflict include distress and anger because of unmet expectations from both sides. To resolve this conflict, communication was found to be the best solution. This included parent giving pieces of advice to their children and adherence of children to parents' commands and request. Lastly, parents realized that this conflict leads to impair relationships with their children while the teenagers understood that acceptance is the key to resolve conflicts with their parents.

DISCUSSIONS

The biggest source of conflict between teenagers and parents were doing household chores like cleaning the house. Teenagers do not want to be nagged because they think they know already what to do. This daily issue will soon bring fights and later cold wars between parents and teenagers. The participants of this study showed distress and anger. If parents and teenagers frequently have conflict, this eventually led to emotional turmoil in the family. In resolving conflicts between parents and teenagers, it should be done immediately by means of open communication. Disobedience to parents was bad but heeding to their advice and reminders were good. However, parents were still suffering because of their rude and disrespectful children. Even if the problem was resolved, still, it is not a guarantee that the teenagers will not go back to their rude personality and behaviors. Teenagers were also hurt and at the same time annoyed because of their parents nagging at them. To address this conflict, they must learn how to respect and obey their parents to avoid more conflicts. Thus, the results of this study pave opportunities to other people especially to the government specifically the DSWD, the parents and their children.