One of the most challenging aspects of being a parent is going thought the teen years. Your teens newly found lives and ideas probably conflict in ways with your own. Communicating the rules to your teen is often difficult to do during these years. Follow these tips for dealing effectively with your teen.
Don't make the mistake of losing control. Losing control when you are upset with your teen only reinforces the same behavior in your teen rather than showing you are the adult. Whether you realize it or not many of these behaviors are simply cries for guidance. Try not to react when you are angry, calm yourself first with a deep breath. Walk away from the situation when you can. If your teen is safe from harm the best thing you can do is resume the conversation at a better time when you are calm. Parenting teenagers means that you must keep your composure and maturity when interacting with them.
Parenting the teenage child means knowing them on all levels. The fact that times change makes it necessary for you to know what they are up to. It's important for you to know the shows they watch, the people they hang out with and the music they like. You don't have to have every tiny detail but you don't want your head in the clouds either. To learn about teens, don't interrogate them, but show an interest in their world. Parenting the teenager can be made simpler if you are aware of their likes and dislikes.
You as the parent are responsible for teaching them to become self sufficient and independent of their parents. What your teen wants most is more freedom, well that and your money, your car and a few other things. Avoid giving in to their every whim as you aren't teaching them to fend for themselves when you do. They should also realize they have certain responsibilities and have to learn how to acquire some things on their own. You will need to learn to say now and explain that they need to figure it out on their own if they want it bad enough. There are ups and downs to parenting any child but especially the teenager. Just remember it's something everyone goes through, and it's an adjustment for the teenager as well as the parents. These tips can help you survive parenting a teenage child.
About our guest author: Christopher Morris currently owns phonics for kindergarten and learn to read reading programs.
