Teenagers and shopping, when it gets out of control
For most of us, shopping is either a necessary evil or the occasional enjoyable trip for a special outfit. Parents cram shopping for food into their busy lives and complain about the cost of school uniform. Teenagers, on the other hand, see shopping as a social experience, a chance to hang around with friends and talk about all week. If their school does not have a uniform, then shopping for clothes becomes an exercise in style for every day.
Adults tend to have a work wardrobe and a weekend wardrobe. Teenagers have a "define their personality" wardrobe, and they take it very seriously! Some teenagers have discovered the delights of online shopping, and with many online outlets offering next day delivery, the gratification of shopping online is virtually instant.
However, there is a darker side to shopping, and it can creep up on unwitting parents without them realizing; some teenagers are literally addicted to shopping. It will not be obvious at first, after all, every parent of teenagers expects their kids to enjoy going to the mall, meeting friends, coming back with a treasure of a deal. If your teenager has a clothes allowance then they are used to shopping for themselves, and trying to stretch that allowance as far as possible.
Special items may require an additional sum from parents, negotiated with much pleading, but that is part of normal parent teenager interaction. When, as a parent, you need to worry, is when the requests for additional clothing funds become more frequent. If your teenager seems to be going to the shops almost every day and often without their friends, then there may be cause for concern. As with any addiction, your teenagers' behavior will change, they may become irritable and extra moody and seem agitated until they go shopping, then calm or even euphoric for a while after the shopping trip.
Some parents do not discover the true extent of this addiction until they get their credit card bill. Teenagers with a shopping addiction often steal their parents' cards and shop online with them, running up bills that can be extreme. Your first reaction is bound to be horror and fury, but the teenager with a shopping addiction is ill, they need help and you need to find out the underlying cause for this behavior.
A low self-esteem, depression, anxiety disorders; there can be many reasons the teenager has turned to shopping to make themselves feel better. A recovery center for addiction could be a solution, as too wilderness camps or therapy; removing the teenager from the temptation and means to shop is the first step, and that may be difficult at home. When your teenager is back home, you will have to monitor them closely; with the availability of the internet and advertising everywhere you go, curing your teenager of their shopping addiction will be an ongoing process.