Being a parent is exciting as well as hard. And when it is the turn of the hardest phase of parenthood then, not to mention, handling a teenage child is even harder. Teenagers are moody at times, rebellious, and questionable those leave many parents feeling quite unprepared for the unavoidable drama on the horizon. But wait, if you want to handle this situation successfully always remember that teens are not monsters. The only thing is they also go through a new phase of life, they explore a whole new world. It’s like a toddler’s journey of new steps on his foot. Teens are just kids going through a lot of physical, emotional, and social changes–all at the same time.
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Parents can build and maintain a healthy relationship with their children throughout their teen years with a bit of patience and a lot of love. The following tips help parents create a lasting bond that makes navigating the teen years somewhat easier:
1. Talk generously: Apparentlyteens love to spend most of their time inside their room. But they also feel quite excited to know whether their parents are interested in their personal life. As a parent, your conversation with them must be casual and relaxed. Your conversation must motivate them to open up. Like ‘How was your day’ can answer you many things about their daily activities. Also, you must keep a close eye on his or her peer crowd and what’s happening there. It also shows teens that their parents are genuinely interested in what’s happening in their personal lives. Goals, accomplishments, struggles, and any individual interests (sports, movies, music) are fantastic subjects. The point of these daily discussions is to establish a fun, relaxed, and enjoyable exchange of information.
But remember never turn these discussions into a bitter scolding session. The aim of these daily discussions is to establish a fun, relaxed, and enjoyable exchange of information.
2. Be a great listener: Parents should let their teens take the reins when the conversations start flowing, parents should let their teens take the reins. It helps them to unload their mind and allow them to steer the conversation in the direction they desire. It’s helpful to respond to them with appropriate comments and questions and encourage them to elaborate. Listening is incredibly crucial during difficult or touchy conversations. Parents should try to listen to their teen with an open mind and respond constructively if their teen approaches them with a problem. It can be difficult for parents to remain calm when their child has done something wrong, but it’s essential to maintain this open line of communication. A hasty reaction may cause a teen to clam up in the future.
3. Establish discipline: No matter how good a listener you are or remain rational while discussing troubling situations with teens, it’s equally important to set standards. Teens need to learn acceptable behavior, and they need to know that there are consequences in life when they break those rules. Parents should avoid screaming, shouting, and belittling, but merely enforce whatever punishment fits the offense.
Teens should know the limit between what is acceptable and what is not.
4. Spend time together: Spending quality time together is a great way to build a strong bond. Life gets hectic, and crazy schedules but never allow your teen to feel forgotten and isolated. Take time out of a busy schedule and hang out together. Believe me, this makes a teen feel valued and appreciated. A simple gesture, such as going for a hike, grabbing an ice cream, or catching a movie, will make a world of difference.
5. Be a parent: As a parent, you may be desperately looking to be a good friend of your child by blurring the line between parent and friend. However, it can be tricky to listen and be open-minded like a friend while still setting and enforcing rules and boundaries. Even though it may cause small arguments, teens need responsible parents who look out for them and keep them safe. Parents concerned that doling out punishments will break their bond with their child should remember that teens often respect parents who stick to their word. Be a role model for them.