https://www.thesun.co.uk/fabulous/16539387/teens-hide-things/
TEEN TIPS
I’ve been a school teacher for three years and this is where your teenagers hide things that they never want you to find
HAVING a teenager is not easy and parenting teens can be difficult.
But if you’re concerned that your teen is hiding something, we’ve spoken to an expert to help you find out.
Leon Hady, who is the founder of Guide Plus, was a headteacher for three years.
His best memory is of students growing in confidence and believing in themselves but his funniest memory is all the fake notes kids made pretending to be their parents.
He revealed the top five places teenagers will hide things that they never want parents to find.
WITH A FRIEND
Leon said one of the most common and most difficult places teens will hide something is with a close friend.
This is because it’s very difficult for the parents to then find what they are trying to hide.
THROUGH APPS AND FAKE FILES
Another clever method teens use to hide things is through apps and fake files.
Leon said: “Especially when looking at things to do with alternative views from extremist beliefs to certain intimation on lifestyle choices.”
THROUGH FRAUDULENT DOCUMENTS
Or teens can use fraudulent documents to hide things.
Former headteacher Leon explained: “With the advent of so many editing pieces of software, many kids are hiding reports and even grade results from parents.”
HOLLOWED OUT ITEMS
Another place teens hide things is using hollowed out items or false bottomed items - extreme!
He said: “Silly as it sounds, false bottomed or hollowed out items can easily be bought on eBay or Amazon.
“Take a look at a few and make sure they aren’t sitting innocuously on a shelf in a teenager’s room.”
SHOE BOXES AND CLOTHES LININGS
Another innocuous method teenagers can use to hide things is using shoe boxes and clothes linings, revealed teaching expert Leon.
He explained: “Teens, like many people, think they are doing things for the first time, so they pick places that are almost cliche.
“They think they are the first ones to hide things in such well trodden places!”
Leon explained that teens like to hide things from their parents for a number of reasons.
Teens, like many people, think they are doing things for the first time, so they pick places that are almost cliche. They think they are the first ones to hide things in such well trodden places!
The former headteacher said sometimes, it is to do with hiding things when they don’t have the option of privacy at home.
But sometimes it’s to do with hiding genuine contraband that would be incriminating.
The founder of Guide Plus added: “On some occasions, it’s more to do with concealing things they don’t feel parents will understand.
“Then sometimes they will hide things to feel like they have ownership of something or a special place or item that is theirs and theirs alone.”
He also revealed the top examples of things teens might try and hide from their parents.
CONTRABAND ITEMS
Whether it’s smoking or some kind of drug, all the way through to items that can double up as or is primarily a weapon, contraband items are a more obvious example of things teens will try to hide from their parents.
SEARCH HISTORY
Teens often also try to hide their search history and viewing habits from their parents.
Leon said: “Some teens will go to great lengths to hide what they have been viewing, parents sometimes think an empty browser history is giving them the full picture but there are many apps that will hide browser history from typical searches.”
GRADES
Leon added that teens often try to hide their school grades from their parents.
He said: “I know of two occasions at GCSE when a parent seemed very proud of a student when their grades fell very short of what the parent expected.
“I couldn’t work it out, until another student told me that those students had photoshopped the results pages using other student’s grades!”
On some occasions, it’s to do with concealing things they don’t feel parents will understand.
But teaching expert Leon explained there’s ways parents can try and help understand their teenagers - to try and reduce their want to hide things.
Parents need to have open communication with their children, he advised.
He said: “Most of the time, as corny as it sounds, teenagers are hiding their fears above all else, so it’s important to talk to your child.
“The best way to do this is to create an individual time slot for each child free of judgement.
“Whether it’s a weekend, morning or a ritual before bed, having a space and time where the child can lead is essential for stopping children hiding things from you.
“Also understand that hiding things might also be only seen like that from the perspective of the parent. For the teenager, it might be an act of proclaiming privacy over a given thing.”
In more parenting news, a savvy mum tricks son into cleaning messy room with clever letter from Tooth Fairy – but not everyone is convinced.
Plus a teen desperate for pet hamster trashes house in ‘propaganda campaign’ – but parents say her mum shouldn’t give in.
And this mum revealed the five different cries every baby has and how to know exactly what they want.
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