STOP teenage years from Ruining Your Family’s Life
The hit TV show Adolescence highlights the negative influence of social media which is affecting all our children right now. Its every parents worst nightmare and demonstrates how difficult teenage years can be for your child.
If you haven’t heard the buzz about Adolescence yet where have you been hiding? This Netflix hit has taken the UK by storm, clocking up over 24 million views in just days and topping charts in 71 countries. It’s the binge-worthy telly everyone’s talking about.
Perfect for starting a conversation. Stephen Graham is brilliant Eddie Miller and fresh talent Owen Cooper as Jamie Miller, this four-episode stunner is as gripping as it is smashing.
Adolescence is a must watch for parents of all children but especially those of teenage years, especially boys. Its a serious eye-opener.
Adolescence’s 13 years old murderer
Adolescence isn’t just a hit because of its top-notch cast or those gobsmacking single-take episodes. I’s trending like mad with Google searches such as “Adolescence Netflix toxic masculinity,” “Stephen Graham Adolescence,” and “Owen Cooper debut” all over the Internet. Cooked up by Graham and Jack Thorne. It follows 13-year-old Jamie, a lad next door whose world flips after he’s nabbed for murdering a mate. What unravels is a chilling “whydunit” that’s addictive and impossible to turn off.
Adolescence is an eye opener for parents as the drama peels back the curtain on the darkness of growing up today, and it’s terrifying!! Those teenage years for boys especially are very vulnerable and dangerous. It dives into toxic masculinity. Think aggro, bottled-up feelings, and the “man up” agenda. Toxic masculinity creeps into our boys’ lives via social media and the “manosphere.” Jamie’s Tumble, brought to life by Cooper’s amazing performance, shows how a decent kid can go off the rails when the online world drowns out proper support. Graham’s Eddie as the dad is gutted.
It’s a stark look at a world where phones and influence rs like Andrew Tate can twist boys in ways that leave us reeling.
It’s become so much of a headline that UK Prime Minister, Kier Starmer has hosted talks with one of the series writers, Jack Thorne, at 10 Downing Street on how to handle the toxic masculinity crisis within school and society. They praised Netflix for recently making the show freely available to watch in all UK secondary schools.
Adolescence, how to prevent it happening to your family?
Watch Adolescence with them—it’s a brilliant way to kick off a conversation. Encourage an open discussion. Chat about what they’re scrolling through, from cyberbullying to toxic masculinity and masculinity myths. Teenage years are difficult but you’ve been through them as well.
The internet’s an amazing but sometimes wild place. Full of gems, but also chock-a-block with ‘fake news’, wrong information and manipulation. Spotting and filtering ‘fake news’ is becoming increasing difficult. Help your children distinguish fact from fiction. Encourage them to question what they see, think twice about clickbait, and steer clear of anything that smells a bit off. Show they trusted sources of information.
I’m not saying you need to turn into a cyber detective, but keeping an eye on their online activity is a must. Have a peek at what they’re watching or who they’re chatting with. Set some parental controls if it feels right, and maybe nudge the Wi-Fi off in bedrooms or behind closed doors. It’s not about being a buzzkill; it’s about making sure they’re safe while they’re double-tapping and DM-ing their way through life.
Here’s a biggie: teach them what proper relationships look like. Chat about respect, empathy, and treating everyone as equals. Whether it’s their bestie, their crush, or the random lad they met on Fortnite. Show them that kindness and fairness aren’t just nice-to-haves, they’re the backbone of any solid connection. They’ll thank you for it later.
Last but not least, show them how it’s done. Lead by example. Be the positive role model they need, rock that respectful vibe, sprinkle kindness wherever you go, and bounce back from life’s wobbles with a grin.
Creating Positive Role Models in teenage years.
Gareth Southgate, a former England football manager, in a recent talk emphasized the need for society to provide better role models and redefine success beyond material wealth or power, advocating for resilience, emotional openness, and belief as essential qualities to counter the toxic narratives shaping young men’s lives.
Kids will soak up what they see. Lead by positive example.
Encourage them to let their feelings out, not bottle them up, and show them respect beats dominance any day.
With trending terms like “Adolescence themes” “toxic masculinity Netflix” and ‘teenage years’ going bonkers, this show’s sparking a real debate and hopefully change. Pair this blog with our video rundown, and let’s bring up boys who thrive in this mad world!
Here’s some facts About Adolescence.
One-Take Brilliance: Each episode is filmed in one unbroken shot. Clever stuff indeed! Director Philip Barantini nailed this trick after smashing it in Boiling Point.
Fresh Face: Owen Cooper’s turn as Jamie is his first-ever telly gig, and he’s already sharing the spotlight with old hand Stephen Graham.
Adolescence reflects a worrying rise in the UK’s knife crime. 83% of teen murders in 2023-24 involved a blade, says the Office for National Statistics.
If this drama came promote greater discussion in families and real change it has done an amazing job.
Well done.
About The Author
Drew is a passionate advocate for parents and proud father of one from Leicestershire the UK.
Drew is a creator for CosyChats and offers 1-2-1 Parent Support on Cosychats.com Contact Drew through Cosychats.com.
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