Tips On Raising Happy Teenagers

Someone rightly said that the best substitute for experience is teen. Moody, argumentative, impulsive, reckless, rebellious and impressionable - this is one phase when your child is likely to undergo erratic behavioral changes and exhibit most shocking of emotions. Fret not if you see your teen child getting irritated at the slightest of provocation. Teenagers are often caught in a contest between their perplexed self and carefree demeanor and hence are most misunderstood. It is your responsibility as parents to adjust to the changing needs of your teen and facilitate an environment that allows him/her to bloom into a mature and responsible adult. Snubbing, criticizing and even mollycoddling teenagers may not be the best bet for parents. Knowing how to deal with your teen kids is likely to ease the pressure on you and your child. Here are some tips on how to raise happy teenagers. Read on for more.

How To Raise Happy Teenagers

Teenage isn’t just a stressful time for parents, but for the growing adolescents too. The way to deal with it is to understand that a teen is indeed different from what he/she was in the childhood years. Allow your teen complete freedom of expression, personal space and respect. Transformation from a tween to teen is difficult for your kid. The best thing you can do as parents is to identify with the challenges of growing years and offer your unending support
It is natural for your teenage kid to feel discomforted with you at times. Remember, this is the stage of life when friends become more important than family members. Being like a shadow and accompanying your child everywhere can cause rift in the relationship of the two of you. Give your teen the space that he/she craves for. However, do not just leave or forsake your child.
Teenage is one time when your kid is likely to become more conscious towards his/her appearance. Remember, this is the time when your kid needs to find out his/her identity. Changing style or look may be an effort to get acknowledged. Allow your teen to build his/her identity and experiment with style and looks, as long as it’s safe. Teen parenting is not about coercion, control or even criticizing your child. It’s about letting your child evolve into a confident adult, but in a manner that is safe.
Encouragement is one of the best gifts you can give your growing teen. Acknowledge every good work of your child and pat their back for every right deed and watch their lips twirl into a shy grin. However, avoid going overboard with your praises, as it might unduly pamper your kid and also make your admiration sound phony. Also, avoid being too critical or unduly harsh if they happen to make poor judgments or commit blunders. This will leave them with poor impression about themselves and at times may trigger inexplicable actions and behaviors. Know to draw a balance on your responses. Guide them with your experience and allow them to learn from their own doings.
If you sense any behavioral complication or feel that your child’s sudden introversion is triggered due to drugs or other grave indulgences, it’s better to consult a therapist at the earliest. Remember, this is not the time to get hyper or angry. It is, now, that your child needs your love and support the most. Don’t embarrass him with aggressive face-off or lecture. Rather, reach out to your child and listen to what he has to say. Help him connect with you and trust you.
It may not be easy, but it is important to identify with your teenage child’s need for privacy and respect his boundaries. Easier said than done, but you have to have the courage to rely on your child’s judgments and allow him/her his/her own little space to explore his/her needs and dreams. This way, he/she would not only find ‘true’ identity but also understand to differentiate between right and wrong. Remember, teenage is a trial and error stage - let your teen try new things. In the process, he/she might commit error, but remember, only then would he/she become better individual.

How to Cite

Related Articles

See also

More in 'Parenting & Family'