The clothes you wear. The food you eat. The color of your bedroom walls. Where you go and how you get there. The people you hang around with. What time you go to bed. What do these things have in common, you're asking? They're just a few examples of the many hundreds of things that your parents controlled for you when you were a child. As a kid, you didn't have a say in everything; your parents made decisions about everything from the cereal you ate in the morning to the pajamas you wore at night. And it's a good thing, too--kids need this kind of protection on their own. But finally, kids grow up and become teens. And part of being a teen is developing your own identity--one that is separate from your parents'. But as you change and grow into this new person who makes his own decisions, your parents have a difficult time adjusting . In many families, it is this adjustment that can cause a lot of fighting between teens and parents. And issues like the type of friends you have or your attitudes to partying can cause bigger arguments, because your parents still always want to protect you and keep you safe, no matter how old you are. The good news about fighting with your parents get more comfortable with the idea that their teen has a right to certain opinions. It can take several years for parents and teens to adjust to their new roles, though. In the meantime, focus on communicating with your parents. Sometimes _ can feel impossible--like they just don't see your point of view and never will. But talking and expressing your opinions can help you gain more respect from your parents. Keep in mind, too, that your parents were teens once and that in most cases, they can relate to what you're going through. A lot of fighting breaks out between teens and parents because  _  .
parents aren't used to losing control of kids teens like to have everything decided parents blame teens for not respecting them teens are eager to develop their own identity