As a parent, your job is to help your adolescent achieve self-control. While your adolescent’s self-absorption can be frustrating, it is necessary for you to accept this fact as a normal phase of the developmental process.
Set limits
Setting limits in your home can help your child become more responsible. It also helps them learn to control their emotions. While you can’t take responsibility for your child’s behavior, setting limits teaches them how to respond appropriately to uncomfortable situations. Children who know how to deal with uncomfortable emotions will be better prepared to deal with life as an adult. One example of how to set limits is by limiting electronic use.
When setting limits, be firm but calm. You can be as forceful as you like but avoid being mean-spirited or angry when telling your child “No.” Instead, spend some quiet time alone and make your point calmly.
Be clear about the consequences
When raising and educating your teenager, it’s important to be clear about the consequences. Losing privileges, for example, should be a clear message. If your teenager has done something wrong, they should be made to pay for it. However, it’s important to be fair and make sure that the punishment fits the crime. For example, you don’t want to take away a privilege, such as driving a car, if your teenager only left a single piece of paper lying around the house.
Consequences should be paired with love and trust. Be clear that the consequences are for the wrong behavior, and never shame your child. Don’t humiliate your child or bring up previous mistakes, either.
Listen to your teen
One of the best ways to help your teen succeed is to listen to what he or she says. Parents should avoid distracting sounds and focus their attention on their teens. Teens appreciate seeing the adults in their lives reflect their feelings and emotions. Teens have a smaller world than adults do, so it’s essential to listen to what they say.
Parents should also model what it’s like to listen to their children. Ask questions, even if they’re not interested, and don’t respond with superficial answers. This shows that you are interested in their opinions. Listen actively, making eye contact, and picking up cues.
Express trust in their abilities
One of the most important things that you can do is to express trust in your teen’s ability to do the right thing. Don’t put them in a situation that they aren’t ready for because that will only break your trust. Instead, give them more responsibility while ensuring that they have support when they need it. That way, your teen will know that you believe in them and that you will always be there for them.
When it comes to raising and educating your teenager, you need to remember that they’re growing up fast and need to develop a strong sense of independence. This means they’re spending more time away from you, and you need to be able to trust them to make the right decisions. You may be worried that they’ll make bad decisions, like driving unsafely or trying drugs. However, this need for independence doesn’t always mean they’ll do anything untrustworthy.
Protect them from deviant peer influence
As a parent, you have a unique opportunity to help protect your teenager from deviant peer influence. You can do this by paying attention to your child’s social circle. Adolescence is a time for building strong bonds, but it’s important to remember that being exposed to problematic behavior within peer groups is inevitable. The best way to protect your teenager is to monitor their friends’ behavior and to model good behavior at home.
Research on deviant peer influence suggests that adolescents are highly susceptible to peer pressure. This is largely due to their inability to develop social competence and make independent judgments about risk-taking behaviors. In one study, female college students were more likely to engage in risky behavior if it was aimed at making a good impression on male peers. However, the reasons for youth’s greater vulnerability to deviant peer influences are not fully understood.
