ABSTRACT
Statements like the two above (volunteered by young people who filled in the 1987 YPLL survey) illustrate an area of adolescent life which causes much angst to both young people and their parents alike. Adolescence is typically a time when the childhood relationships with parents are reassessed and re-negotiated as young people move towards independence and adulthood. During this period of transition, families can be both a source of strain and support. This chapter looks at the overall role that families play in adolescent life and assesses whether changes in family structure and circumstances may be important to young people’s development. The formalised structure of schooling in the Western world ensures that most family interaction occurs in so-called ‘leisure time’. How do parents and their adolescent children interact in this sphere? What are the typical and enjoyed interactions between young people and their parents and what is their significance? How are activities chosen and acceptable limits to behaviour defined and used in the leisure sphere? Are parenting styles reflected
in family leisure behaviour? How are the adolescent’s needs for both independence and affection worked out in balancing leisure relationships with parents and peers?
