Parenting Tips For Raising Teenagers That Really Make A Difference

By Jocelyn Davidson


Parents from every culture, creed, country or circumstance will agree on one thing. Their teens sometimes drive them crazy. When children reach that age where they question everything and where their emotions and hormones are playing hop scotch they often do not know how to interact with the world around them. By following these few parenting tips for raising teenagers parents may smooth the path a little bit.

Even if it does not always look like it, teens react positively to parental love. If they know that they are loved unconditionally and that they will always be treasured as part of the family they will be able to deal with their own turmoil in a more balanced manner. Parents should reaffirm their love for their teen regularly, particularly when they behave poorly.

Unconditional love does not imply that the parents must blindly accept destructive behavior. The teen must understand that every member of the household has equal rights. It is therefore advisable to gently but firmly establish a set of rules. Every effort should be made to involve all the members of the family in this conference and to achieve consensus on the proposed code of conduct.

Teens can be impulsive and they are most likely to experiment. Many teens use alcohol for the first time, or they try smoking. Others decide to have a tattoo or to have their bodies pierced. It would be a mistake to expressly forbid such experimentation. Parents should rather encourage their teens to gather as much information as possible before taking action. In many cases it will help if the teen agrees to a cooling off period before acting on a new whim.

Teens often act as if they are worldly wise and informed but are in fact deeply insecure and even naive. They often accept information received from their peers as gospel. In this way they often make catastrophic mistakes. Parents can help by making sure their teens are properly informed on sexual matters, the many dangers lurking online and the potential consequences of experimenting with drugs.

It is vitally important that parents set a positive example for their teens to follow. They need to show their teen that it is honorable to acknowledge mistakes and that there is no shame in apologizing. Parents should also be careful to make sure that they are not guilty of the exact same mistake that they are warning their teens against. It is hypocritical to warn a teen against the dangers of alcohol, for example, when the parents regularly over indulge themselves.

Teens generally respond well when they are respected and trusted. It is therefore a good idea to make it clear to the teen that his opinions are valued and welcomed. When family decisions are made, it is important to specifically ask the teen what his opinion is and to then take his opinion seriously. It may also be a good idea to tell the teen that he has reached an age where he can be trusted with increased responsibilities.

The teenage years are difficult for everyone involved. Teens can be unreasonable and demanding. However, if parents strive to understand the turmoil experienced by their teen and if they react with love and understanding, the teen will most likely sail through puberty unscathed.




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