It’s often said that adolescence begins in biology and ends in culture—it starts with puberty and ends when people establish their own households and become financially independent. For both parents and young person, the phase of adolescence feels like a very confusing process because so much that happens is unexpected. But also, we have many reasons to believe, adolescence is also a lawful process. That is, certain changes, tensions, conflicts, and problems do tend to unfold in a somewhat orderly progression. The passing of childhood is not just painful for the young person; Parents have their share of loss to bear as well. They will never have their son or daughter as little child again. That golden period in their relationship that may have been so rich in closeness, communication, and companionship is passed.
In the age of constant connectivity, adolescents find themselves navigating a complex web of expectations and pressures, both online and offline. Imagine a high school student, Sarah, who spends hours…