Adolescence is the life phase between ages 10 and 19 when a person matures from childhood into adulthood.
During this time, an individual will typically experience a variety of physical, emotional, and cognitive changes due to puberty, hormonal fluctuations, and brain development.
They’re likely to begin thinking about who they are, what they value, what their sexual and gender identities are, what belief systems they adhere to, and what they want out of life.
Strategies To Consider For Parenting An Adolescent
There are no perfect parenting strategies or tactics that are guaranteed to work with every teenager.
Plus, since this time of life is characterized by near-constant change, something that works now may not be as effective a few months down the road.
Patience, empathy, and adaptability are usually key to being the parent or guardian of a teenager.
That said, the following are strategies that may help parents support and guide their children through this phase of life.
Teenager talk with mom
- Start Preparing Early
it’s best to start early when it comes to laying the foundation for being a supportive parent of an adolescent.
Establishing a strong, healthy parent-child relationship from a young age can lead to a smoother transition into the pre-teen and teen years.
By providing a stable, safe home environment with an atmosphere of honesty, mutual trust, and respect, your child is more likely to feel comfortable, accepted, and supported as they grow up.
- Aim To Establish Open Communication
Because of adolescent brain development, the adolescent years can be challenging for both you and your child.
There will likely be times when they need advice, support, or guidance, and establishing a dynamic of open communication can make them likelier to come to you in these cases
Recent research shows that what’s known as “sensitively attuned parenting” is one effective method of adapting to the challenges of raising teenagers.
The practice focuses on the core tenets of positive engagement, supervision, guidance, and open communication in order to facilitate the continued development of an adolescent’s self-confidence and decision-making skills.
- Offer Opportunities For Age-Appropriate Responsibilities
As your child matures into adolescence, they will likely crave more independence and control over their own lives.
Offering them opportunities to make age-appropriate decisions can grant a measure of this while helping them learn fundamental life skills.
This strategy can allow them to build self-confidence and autonomy, learn about consequences, and gain life experience too.
Father gives life advice to his young teenage son at home
- Make Time Together A Priority
As your child grows up, consider making time spent together a priority.
Even something as simple as eating meals together as often as possible can provide excellent opportunities for you to discuss the day together, reinforce family bonds, and encourage healthy eating habits.
- Listen Without Judgement
When your teenager does talk to you about their life, it’s typically important to listen without judgment if you want them to feel safe continuing to come to you.
It’s usually best to resist the urge to interrupt, mock, criticize, or offer advice.
If you simply listen and show interest in what they’re saying, your teenager is more likely to continue approaching you when they need to talk.
Father support teen son . Mental health problems. Dad counseling teenager with depressing thoughts.
- Know The Warning Signs Of Mental Health Issues
According to Penn Medicine, there are some common warning signs parents can watch for that may indicate a problem beyond the typical adolescent mood swings or rough patches.
Getting familiar with key symptoms of mental illnesses that can affect teenagers—such as depression and anxiety—can equip you to recognize them if they ever appear in your child.
If you notice changes like these, consider reaching out to their physician or to a mental health professional.
Conclusion
Communication is the key to a parent of teens cause this will make your teens to be more comfortable with you.
Stop comparing your teens to others so as to build confidence in them.