Tropes about teenagers, adolescents, and youth, as well those in middle/high school and puberty, typically aged 13-19. Set apart by having left elementary school and being filled with hormones but not yet legal adults, they tend to lead adventurous and dramatic lives—at least in fiction.
Some of these can apply to children or adults but because they are named for those who are growing up they go here. If the title has the word "child" or "kid" in it then it only counts if it means non-adult (under 18). Comes after or blends with Youngsters and precedes Adult Tropes and/or Early Adulthood Index, although may blend in with the latter depending on the age and the character archetype.
Tropes:
Subcategories:
- Alpha Bitch: The sassy head of a Girl Posse, typically a cheerleader team.
- Appearance Angst: Adolescence is the prime time for being self-conscious over appearance.
- Artistic License – Child Labor Laws: Teens below 14 are shown working despite being too young to work in real life.
- Bittersweet 17: A 17-year-old in their Coming of Age.
- Bratty Teenage Daughter: A teenage daughter who is whiny and demanding.
- Carload of Cool Kids: A car with the windows down passes by to reveal students making harassing remarks to passersby.
- Child Popstar: Some child pop singers are in their teens.
- A Child Shall Lead Them: A child, often a teenager, leads a group of adults.
- Child Soldiers: Teenagers recruited to fight in the military.
- Children Forced to Kill: A child, often a teenager, is forced to kill someone.
- Chuunibyou: A teenager tries too hard to be "cool" by exaggerating their superiority.
- Coming of Age Story: Story revolves around a character maturing from childhood into adolescence, or a teenager maturing into adulthood.
- Dangerous 16th Birthday: A 16th birthday party which is disastrous.
- Dating What Daddy Hates: A daughter brings home a boyfriend of whom her father disapproves.
- Dawson Casting: (Young) Adults play teenagers on TV or in movies.
- Dreaded Kids' Table: The kiddie table becomes insufferable during adolescence.
- Dumbass Teenage Son: Your teenage son is slow on the uptake.
- Ear-Piercing Plot: A young character, usually a teenager, wants their ears pierced, but is either too scared to do it or is forbidden from doing so by their parents.
- Emo Teen: A teen who can't find their place in life joins the nonconformists.
- Former Teen Rebel: A character used to be a member of the teen rebellion.
- Grade-School C.E.O.: A minor, often a teenager, holds a high-ranking position in a company.
- Hormone-Addled Teenager: A teenager who is ruled by their sex drive.
- Jerk Jock: The mean quarterback of a sports team or the leader of a Gang of Bullies.
- Kiddie Kid: A teenager who's very childish.
- Kid Hero: Teenagers (and younger children) save the day.
- "Leaving the Nest" Song: Many songs of this nature tend to involve teenagers leaving home for college and/or adulthood.
- Minor with Fake I.D.: An underage character, often a teenager, presents a fake ID to be granted access to an adult-only place.
- Most Writers Are Adults: Teenagers behave a lot like adults in fiction.
- Ode to Youth: A song embracing the irresponsibility of adolescence.
- Parental Fashion Veto: Parent objects to a teen's outfit.
- Phoneaholic Teenager: Teens who are obsessed with their phones.
- Really 17 Years Old: A teenage minor disguises themselves as an adult.
- Recruit Teenagers with Attitude: A random group of teenagers is assembled to save the day.
- Short Teens, Tall Adults: Teens in short stature relative to the adults around them.
- Smitten Teenage Girl: A teenage girl has a nonsensical and obsessive crush on a guy.
- Teen Drama: Show targeted to teenagers which is a drama.
- Teen Genius: What the Child Prodigy becomes once they approach adolescence.
- Teen Hater: A character who hates teenagers.
- Teen Horror: Horror stories about teenagers, typically with such as their target audience too.
- Teen Idol: An entertainer with a popular teenage fanbase.
- Teen Pop: Music aimed at teens.
- Teen Pregnancy: Teenage girls get pregnant as a result of having unprotected sex, often earlier than appropriate.
- Teen Rebellion: Teenagers are stereotyped as being rebellious.
- Teen Superspy: Teenagers are portrayed as secret agents.
- Teenage Wasteland: Kids, often in their teens, now have adult power and responsibility and rule society.
- Teens Are Monsters: Teenagers are rebellious, insensitive, and sociopathic.
- Teens Love Shopping: Teenagers are portrayed as having a fondness for shopping.
- 13th Birthday Milestone: A character's 13th birthday is treated as a turning point, often due to becoming a teenager.
- Totally 18: A work emphasizes a character, usually an 18-year-old, being above the legal age of majority despite still looking like a minor.
- Troubled Teen: Teenager dealing with serious issues.
- TV Teen: The media version of adolescence is portrayed positively due to a young target audience.
- When I Was Your Age...: Adults complain about how easy the youth have it.
- Wild Teen Party: A rambunctious party full of teenagers.
- Young and in Charge: Children and teens are leaders of an adult tribe.
- Young Conqueror: A teenager who utilizes their power of idealism.
- Youth Is Wasted on the Dumb: Children and teenagers can be pretty stupid.
