Parents are Key to Preventing Teenage Burn-Out

Following recent reports that show British teens to be among some of the most stressed-out in the world, family author Rob Parsons believes educational pressure is a huge factor in teenage unhappiness and self-destructive tendencies.

Mr Parsons, who is also founder and Executive Director of charity Care for the Family, is now urging parents to look after the emotional well-being of their children.

"The most important A-star is emotional health," he says.

Mr Parsons, who's most recent book Teenagers! What Every Parent Has to Know hit the bestseller lists last week. In it, he tells parents not to add to the stress their teen children are already finding themselves under.

His comments follow a call earlier in the month from the General Teaching Council to ban all school exams for under-16s.

Parents play a huge role in reducing the pressure teenagers find themselves under, says Mr Parsons.

One study by Patrick West and Helen Sweeting of Glasgow University showed a huge leap in emotional disturbance among high-achieving girls. Their study discovered that the levels of anxiety and depression among 15-year-old girls from the top social class had risen from 24 per cent in 1987 to 38 per cent in 1999. They also found that the number of girls in the middle-class bracket suffering from serious mental illness had risen threefold.

Anthony Seldon, Master of Wellington College, recently warned of a deterioration in the emotional health among teenage girls.

"They are suffering from depression, anorexia and a sense of worthlessness," he said in a report in The Times. "The obsession with exams is wrong."

Mr Parsons warned: "The pressure with regard to examination results is at such a pitch that some teens will find the stress too much and attempt to kill themselves."

He outlined three vital ways parents can support their stressed out teenager children:

1) Remember the most important A-star is emotional heath - some children want to please you too much.

2) Don't read their school reports as if they are a prophecy of their future lives. Exams don't measure your child's personality traits such as empathy, kindness, self-awareness, a sense of humour and a sense of perspective on life.

3) Keep the lines of communication open, so they can be honest if life is getting too tough.

His book, Teenagers! What Every Parent Has to Know, is out now.