Being a teen today means you face many a problem. And being the parent of a teen is equally challenging. Both parent and child need all the help they can get in order to do well at school, and possibly college, and to develop a loving and respectful relationship as the adolescent grows into adulthood. Here are some ideas on making life just that little bit smoother.
You are not alone. If as a parent you feel a little out of your depth with your teen and the issues they face, do not be afraid to call in the cavalry. Your family doctor or a specialist in teen issues could be a great help for your teen, for you or both. A good professional working in the relevant field could do wonders for everyone. Remember of course that your teen is not a baby and the matter needs to be approached sensitively but remember help is at hand.
An adolescent will still be your baby but their mind and body says otherwise. You may wish to smother them with love and your protection but they are growing up and need to be come independent. Give them responsibilities around the home. Little things to start with but then you can increase the degree of difficulty of each task. Encourage your child to act wisely and responsibly.
A solid and trusting relationship is ideal. Your adolescent child is now a young adult or soon will be. You want this growing period in their life to be one of happiness and success. It can be if they trust you and are willing to discuss their problems with you. By treating your teen as an equal, you are creating a relationship based on love, trust and respect.
Remember that Rome wasn't built in a day and the problems faced by your child and the way the two of you communicate needs to be handled with kid gloves. Learn to become patient. It's a great virtue. Keep your head when others around are losing theirs.
Trends in clothes, music, hairstyles and even body art come and go with the generations. Your teen may be determined to look cool and wear so-called trendy clothes but freeze to death in the process. It's no use arguing as that will only stiffen resistance. You could show them a photo or two of you as a teen and watch as the laughter rings around the house. Then subtly point out that in a few years that's how others will react to your teen's current fashion.
Humor is a great weapon or antidote for strife. Don't be afraid to tell a joke against yourself while always maintaining respect for your child. Laughter is a great medicine.
One of the best gifts you can give your child is that of a high self-esteem. When a teen believes they are a loser, has a poor body-image or is shunned by their peers, self-confidence and self-esteem are low. This can lead to other problems with some being serious. Find ways to boost the self-esteem of your teen. Give them praise and tasks they can achieve. Give them a challenge and always be sure they know of your unstinting love and support.