Teenagers are the most susceptible group for succumbing to the various temptations presented to them, making parenting teens effectively even tougher. What adds to the difficulty is that most teens – even the ones who exhibit good decision making ability and reason more often than not – want nothing more than independence and the ability to make their own decisions about their lives. Teens have no capacity for understanding that even though they feel completely grown up and ready to take on the world that they are not.

Parenting teens comes with a special set of challenges – and a special set of rules. I like to tell parents that in many ways, parenting teens is a lot like parenting toddlers. In both cases, you’re dealing with strong-willed, sometimes ridiculously obstinate people who are trying very hard to establish their own personality. Toddlers are just small enough we can pick them up and put them in a playpen or lay them down to take a nap when things get really difficult. It’s not so easy with teens.

Yet there are effective ways for parenting teens that can make a difference both in your relationship and in the level of stress you’re both feeling. And really, if you’ve read my book or have been reading any of my other articles, you’ll know it’s not really much of a secret: the key to parenting teens successfully is COMMUNICATION. It’s exasperating sometimes to see a loving relationship between a parent and a teen deteriorate simply because neither side is willing to listen to what the other is saying or at the very least let go of their assumptions about what the other wants. That’s where communication comes in.

As a parent, it is okay to let down your guard and tell your teen that the reason you are involved and concerned and have rules they don’t like is because you love them, you want to keep them safe, and that you want to help guide them. The problem is that instead of telling teens how we feel as vulnerable human beings, many parents instead take a defensive attitude and resort to the “Because I said so” or “Because that’s the rule of the house” response.

The minute you’ve resorted to that, you’ve lost. If you approach your teen from the viewpoint that you support the fact that he or she is quickly growing into adulthood and should start taking on more responsibility and making more decisions about his or her own life, it can help your teen see that you are not the enemy. In fact, by “teaming up” with your teen and helping him or her to reach the goals they want to reach, you can break down the barriers between you and arrive more quickly at a new place in your relationship in which you can play the role you’re meant to play at this stage: guide and mentor.

Tear down the walls between you and your teen. Let them see that you worry about them and let them know that you love them. Loosen up the hold you have and encourage your teen’s independence. Support your teen’s individuality and desire to have his own or her own life. Only then can you begin to transform your relationship into one you can both live with.

Author Bio: Norbert Georget is an accomplished professional speaker, teen motivator, parenting expert and author of the book, No-Nonsense Parenting For Today’s Teenager – How To Feel Like A Good Parent Even When Your Teenager Hates You. You may get a FREE REPORT called No-Nonsense Parenting for the Disrespectful Teenager. All the answers you’ll need to deal with your disrespectful teenager.

Category: Parenting
Keywords: parenting a teenager,teenagers,parenting,raising a teen,