Tips on Parenting Responsible Teens
Parenting is a very fulfilling role in any person’s life. It is the opportunity to share love and bring up responsible citizens. There is nothing as joyful to a parent as having a responsible, caring and hardworking grown up child. However, before they grow up and gain their independence, a parents has to first bring them up and guide them through the teen year. This is a stage where most parents and teenagers butt heads. None understands the other. However, as a parent one should have basic skills that will help them steer their teen children to the right direction of life. This article will discuss tips on parenting responsible teens the right way.
First of all a parents must have some goals that they want to achieve at the end of their role as teens parents. The next step is to determine the best way to achieve ones goals based on the strength and weaknesses of the specific teen being raised. All children are different and may need a different set of skill sets to deal with them. The most common objective of parents who are raising teenage kids is ensure they succeed academically, to ensure they are able to assist in the household chores, to ensure that they are able to express themselves, care and share.
At this stage of life, teens are experiencing a lot of emotional and physical changes in their lives and bodies. The boys start to break their voices and grow beards while the girls start to notice their bodies curving and their chests growing fuller. This physical changes alone can be exiting and scaring at the same time. It is the point at which a teen realizes they are no longer small kids, yet they are not adults either. At this point, the teens do not want to do the things they did as kids any more yet they are neither comfortable joining the adults either. This confusion or changes may cause the teens to have a conflict with their parents. The teens want to isolate themselves and avoid their parents or adults company. They also do not want to follow instructions and rules as they are convinced that they are all grown up and they know what is best for them.
At this point the parent needs to ensure that the kids know they are loved. The parent has to have a clear balance between love and discipline. Too much discipline and the child will rebel, too much love and the child will be spoilt. At this point, the parent has to avoid giving ultimatums, and having anger bursts. Instead, they should instruct with a sober and loving mind and heart, knowing that the teen is at a sensitive stage. If anything, this is one stage where the parent has to strive to be their child’s best friend. This will help the teen to be able to confide in their parents when they are facing difficulty.
For best results, a parent should have reasonable expectations of their child. They should have clear rules and consequences. Time and time again, they should remind their teens why the rules are important and why they have to face the consequences of not following the rules. A parent must be flexible and reasonable in dispensing their role. Most importantly, the parent must lead by example. Actions speak louder than words