Parents' angst over teenagers
The fear and frustration suffered by parents struggling to bring up teenagers in London is revealed in a report today.
It paints a sobering picture of hard-pressed mothers and fathers fighting to shield their children from drugs and drink and struggling to afford their demands for designer clothes and expensive gadgets. Many are also finding it difficult to impose discipline on rebellious teenagers.
The report suggests that the moody and resentful image of adolescencerepresented by Harry Enfield's Kevin the teenager character, may not be far from the truth.
It concludes that modern life at home with the "terrible teens" is often "more like the Osbournes than the Waltons." It found that almost two-thirds of parents in the capital are suffering from " parenting anxiety" and worry they are not doing a good job of bringing up their offspring.
Around seven out of 10 think they have a tougher challenge than their own parents. The problems are compounded in London by the difficulties of finding good secondary education and the widespread availability of drugs.
About one in seven admitted it was "difficult" to keep their children away from drink and drugs.
Alarmingly, 12 per cent of London parents - twice the figure for the rest of the country - say they are "very unsatisfied" with their lives as a result of their struggles with teenagers. Those parents were most likely to be on their own, very young or from ethnic minorities.
The report, drawn up by the Institute for Public Policy Research, found these parents "are buckling under the pressure placed on them by society, the Government and their own children."
More than half of Londoners find it hard to buy all the things asked for by their children and 40 per cent admit that shopping with them causes them stress.
Keith Weed, chairman of Lever Fabergé¬ which commissioned the study, said: "Most parents of teenagers feel unable to share the challenges they face with other parents and there appears to be a major gap in institutional support."
