As we move from childhood towards adulthood, the body undergoes change and for the male, this means a surge of testosterone, which is responsible for body hair growth and the deeper voice tone. This can cause problems at home, as the teenager tries to deal with the emotional turmoil of life during this difficult time, and with that in mind, here are a few tips if you are the parent of a teenager.
- Eating a balanced diet – It is important for a teenager to have a balanced diet and with weekly family dining in Gymea, you can at least make sure that the weekend menu is one that contains the essential vitamins, minerals and nutrients. Besides, it is a good idea for the family to spend some quality time together and dining out gives everyone a change to relax.
- Try not to be emotional – When talking to your teenage child, it is important to remain calm at all times and make the effort not to transition from a discussion to an argument. If your son or daughter sees you getting emotional, this will encourage them to do the same and while it is sometimes very difficult to stay calm, it will not add fuel to the fire. Here is a good article that looks at productivity by offering tips on how to be more productive in your life.
- Keeping the lines of communication open – It is perfectly normal for a teenager to feel that the whole world is against them and if they get the feeling that you are not approachable, they won’t confide in you when they need some advice. When your teenage child is talking, do listen, as the young adult needs to have someone they can talk to, without judging all the time. As difficult as this sounds, you should try to see things from your child’s perspective and be empathetic, demonstrating a desire to want to understand.
- Set boundaries – Just like a toddler, a teenager needs to have boundaries in their life and you should sit down and discuss these boundaries, eliciting agreement from the child, which you can refer to should they break your rules. If you child thinks the limits you set are unreasonable, discuss this as you would with another adult and if you are reasonable, then your child should respect your wishes. Click here for tips on dealing with disrespectful behaviour, which is common with teenagers.
- Be a good role model – Children pay more attention to what you do rather than what you say, therefore you should make an effort to be everything you would expect a good parent to be. There is always a risk of being hypocritical and you should endure that you exhibit the same qualities that you expect from your teenage child.
When your relationship with your child is strained, it is worth reminding yourself that the teenage years are difficult and that your child’s behaviour will improve as they move through puberty to become a young adult.