'Rude and aggressive' - why girls are harder to manage as teenagers than boys

Sept 15, 2010

Girls are harder to manage as teenagers than boys, a study of parents has revealed.
Mood swings and fall-outs with friends coupled with peer pressure and image hang-ups emerged as the main flashpoints within the family.
While boys can be harder to communicate with over teenage issues such as puberty, acne and sex, parents still rated them easier to handle. 

Two thirds of parents said girls were harder to raise than teenage boys with almost three quarters admitting they argue more regularly with daughters than with sons, according to the Simple Spotless Skin study of 3,000 mothers and fathers.
A third blamed 'mood swings', 27 per cent said they were 'rude' and 12 per cent admitted their teenage girl was regularly 'aggressive'.
Three quarters said girls have a lot more hang-ups about image than male teens - with the biggest issue being spotty skin, followed by weight.
Study spokesman Tenley Soanes said: 'Teenage years are notoriously difficult for both boys and girls and there's no doubt parents take the brunt of it.
'Issues like weight, spots and quarrels with friends will have caused concern for teenagers 30 years ago so it doesn't come as a surprise that they are still a big worry for teenagers today.
'Some things are inevitable for teens, as it's a time of great change for their bodies. Gaining weight, being moody or getting spots are all things parents will have to tackle.'
Half of parents said their girls suffered from low self-esteem because of problematic skin and one in 10 said their daughter has refused to leave the house as a result of a breakout.
One in 20 mothers said their child had even missed their school prom as a result of skin issues.
The plus point for anyone with a girl approaching her teenage years, is that they are more likely to help around the house.
The study also found a third of parents admitted their teenager's behaviour 'wore them out' and six out of ten have rowed with their partner over the best way to bring up kids.
Four in ten said they have had to sit teenagers down and deal with the issue of acne while 30 per cent have had to discuss weight and dieting issues.
Half have had to deal with the repercussions of bust-ups with friends and 40 per cent have found it necessary to discuss puberty problems.
But girls come off worse again with 75 per cent of parents stating that daughters are more likely to row with their friends than sons.
Eight out of 10 parents believe there is much more pressure on children today to look good and have the 'right image' than when they were young.
Dr Chris Bundy, senior lecturer in Health and Medical Psychology at the University of Manchester, said:  'Females in their teenage years are more prone to mood swings than males, mainly due to the hormone changes their bodies are experiencing.
'Both boys' and girls' behaviour swings between being more child-like one day and adult the next and they get confused too.
'Despite it being traumatic, most parents will probably not escape some kind of teenage upset, but it's the way in which issues are handled that is important.
'Open communication between parents and children is the key so teenagers can approach their parents without them being too embarrassed or telling them off.
'Some of the best advice I can offer parents about bringing up teenage children is to remember everything is a phase and it will pass and not to feel everything has to be resolved here and now.'