Some areas where teens might take risks include: 

• Relationships and intimacy 
• Alcohol 
• Drugs 
• Smoking or vaping 
• Driving 
• Online behaviour and sexting 
• Gaming 
• Staying out late 

Your teen’s brain is still developing. The area responsible for planning, decision-making, and impulse control develops more slowly than the areas linked to reward and excitement. Hormones such as dopamine are also spiked by new and exciting experiences. 

This means teenagers may focus on short-term rewards more than long-term consequences, and this leads to risk-taking. 

Teenagers are also developing their independence and sense of identity, which means their friends and peer group are very important to them. This is developmentally normal, and they should be allowed to form those relationships, but it can mean they are vulnerable to influence and peer pressure.  

Risk-taking behaviour can sometimes be a symptom of other problems, such as bullying, self-esteem, mental health issues, or friendship or relationship worries. Let them know you are there to listen and help. 

Your teen may act grown-up and push against your authority, but they won’t always make the right choices, and they are probably aware of this. Setting some ground rules helps them feel safe and secure, even if they protest. 

You need to start talking with them about different areas of risk early – before problems come up. It’s better for them to hear about these things from you before they start hearing about them from peers.  

And don’t just make it a one-off conversation – keep communication open and make sure to regularly discuss the risks they might face in different situations.

Stay calm. Rather than saying no immediately, acknowledge their feelings and recognise that this is important to them. Listen to your teen, and ask questions, such as where they are going, who they will be with, how they plan to get home. 

Share how you are feeling and anything about the situation that is particularly worrying for you. Try to do this without blaming or criticising them. 

Set ground rules for what you would need if they were to be allowed to go – such as staying in touch by phone, sticking with friends that you know, or being home by a certain time. 

Go through safety tips with them so they understand what to do if they face an uncomfortable or worrying situation. Make sure they know they can always call you if they start to feel unsafe. 

Your teen may try their first cigarette or vape but let them know once they start it’s hard to stop. If your teen smokes or vapes, there is a lot of support available such as teen support groups if they are willing to quit. If they refuse, set some boundaries, and remind them of the risks. Quitting will be hard but tell your teen not to give up and that you will help them through this.

Your teen or their friends may have passed their driving test recently and got a car. Make sure they don’t take risks when it comes to driving. Remind them to drive safely, wear their seat belt, not to use a phone while driving and not to speed or show off for the thrill of it. If you think they’re going to go out drinking, ensure they get a taxi home rather than drive home. Make sure they are aware of the laws of using a mobile phone and driving.

• Help them say ‘no’ to pressure – Point out that their friends might just be showing off. Help them see that they can have a mind of their own. It’s important to let them choose their own friends, but it’s OK to set some limits on who they can hang out with if you have real concerns about a particular group of friends. Read more about teens and peer pressure. 

• Build their self-esteem – Teens who are secure in themselves are better able to say ‘no’ to peer pressure. Read more about boosting their self-esteem. 

• Be clear about boundaries – Talk to them about what is and what isn’t allowed in your family and be clear about the reasons behind the rules. 

• Make sure they are aware of the risks – Talk regularly about the problems young people can face when under the influence of drink or drugs, or in other situations. Teenagers are not always aware of these, or won’t bear them in mind on their own. 

• Set a positive example – Your behaviour will influence them most. Create a positive environment and set a good example – for example, if they see you drinking a lot, your messages about alcohol are less likely to land with them. 

• Don’t expect instant solutions – Avoid trying to solve everything with one conversation. Seek support from others such as your GP, the school, family and friends. 

• Keep the conversation flowing – Keep talking about anything and everything! Having open chats with your teen is important as it lets them know that they can come to you if they are struggling. 

Our video on helping your teens into adulthood has lots of helpful advice.

Drinkaware has lots of helpful information about alcohol.

If drugs are a concern, you can talk to FRANK for advice.

If your teen is a new driver, read some advice from the AA.