Inescapable standards seem to range based on personal perspective. Standards for a career, dating, school or any other kind of guideline are inevitable.

It appears countless teens wish to rush the aging process. According to a Guttmacher Institute poll, and while down 30% since the peak rate in 1991, the average age for teenage sex hovers around 15 years.

“At an age where a child’s biggest concern should be slumber parties, cartoons and cooties,” Amberly Roy, ’09, said. “Many teens attempt a poor imitation of adulthood by turning to alcohol, drugs and sex.”

Some find the answer in denying absolute truth and parental support. As each individual comes to decide what morals are true, it seems essential that they are decisive.

“Like gravity, truth is absolute,” Matt Nickel, ’08, said. “It never changes morals should follow the same path.”

Some decisions affect the family rather than only an individual. In the Unitied States over 50% of marriages end in divorce.

“My parents are currently separated,” Nicole Boothroyd, ’07, said. “It hit my little brother the hardest because he doesn’t have his father in his everyday life anymore. He has become socially challenged and it really affects his behavior at home.”

Often divorce causes problems which are beyond repair. Divided families often means less time spent together and alllows little opportunities for close bonds.

“When my parents were still together, it was hard for them to make time for my brother and I,” Boothroyd said. “They were too focused on their own problems to help their children deal with things.”

Children often face difficult decisions when accompanied by peer pressure. Lack of age and experience often makes this a difficult process but mentors, including parents, can provide stability to someone confused while in a struggle.

“Every child needs a family they can turn to for guidance,” David Fujihara, ’08, said. “Children are the future and should be treated as such.”

Although many teens seek solitude, companionship often provides a unified front.

“My family goes on little trips several times every year,” Aliza Ford, ’07, said. “It?s a great experience because at home, all of us are really busy and on these trips we get to spend real time together.”

Human existence seems filled with distractions. Although it is easier to become too busy, strong family bonds seem to create a more positive society through family interaction.

“Closer families mean better lives,” David Quenzer, ’07, said. “In a world that is littered with crime and immorality, everyone should strive for something more.”