“I think there is pressure from the schools on the parents to be more involved,” she says. “More and more children are from homes where both parents are working which can make things hard.” Dr Eriksen says parents are frightened about the future, worried about their child not being able to do well enough at school and later in life, but the teenage brain simply isn’t ready for such long-term planning. “Parents find it frustrating,” admits Dr Eriksen, “but a teenager isn’t thinking, ‘If I do this I’ll get into UCL or Oxford in four years’ time’. They’re thinking, ‘What’s happening tonight?’ ”
Photo credit: Alamy
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