The teenage years are a time of reaping what we absorbed in childhood relationships and a time when a type of quest begins. During this time, we need to allow ourselves to learn about our teen, so we can understand them as individuals. It is a time when we accept them as being different than us, with their own personalities, strengths, weaknesses, and areas of growth. I will briefly touch on the following areas of challenges that often occur when relating to an adolescent: changes during adolescence, the importance of the rite of passage into adulthood, rebellion or assertiveness (and how to know the difference), friendship and your teen's social connections, communicating with your teen, teaching your teens how to solve problems, discipline, industriousness, responsibility, and service. Knowing how to tackle and approach all of these challenges will aid in guiding your teen in their own journey of becoming the individual they need to be.