Saturday 11 October 2014

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.



Teens must understand that they are part of a household where every member should be treated with consideration. This means that there must be at least some rules. It may be best to discuss the ground rules during a family conference. Every member, including the teen, should have the chance to provide input and once consensus is achieved, the rules should be inviolate. Non compliance must have consequences and those consequences must not be negotiable.



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.



Behind their pretense and their know it all attitudes many teens are vulnerable and naive. This exposes them to those elements that prey on the weaknesses of others. Ignorance has caused many teens to make costly mistakes. It is therefore vital to make sure that they are informed on matters such as safe sex, online security and personal hygiene, to name a few.



It is unfortunate that so many parents try to provide guidance to their teens only to fail miserably because they do not set a positive example themselves. Parents should do everything within their power to act in such a way that their teens will be proud of them. They need to demonstrate that a balanced live does not mean a live without fun. When parents make mistakes, as they will, they need to acknowledge them.



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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