Raising kids can be difficult, and each stage has its challenges. It can also be one of the most amazing adventures you’ll ever go on as it’s often unpredictable and full of surprises. Raising teenagers, in particular, can be a roller coaster ride depending on their personality type. They’re often going through different physical, mental, and emotional changes which result in them becoming more self-aware. As a parent, this could mean you’re dealing with more affectionate moments or a more withdrawn kid. Whatever the case, there are some things that you can do to prepare and better handle these changes. In light of this, you’re going to find three tips for raising teenage daughters in the following article.
Educate Yourself
Education is key, especially when raising teenagers. Although you were once a teenager, times have changed which means youth culture, peer pressure, and the challenges your child may face are likely different from the ones you did. For this reason, you should try and learn as much as you can about the culture surrounding your child and possible external influences to give you a better understanding of them. Some ways you can better understand the teenage years include educating yourself on the changes they will be going through, so you notice any signs, reading books about teenagers, talking to them often to understand them better, and putting yourself in their shoes to help understand their point of view.
You should also educate yourself on how to help your teenager through certain issues and stresses in their life. School is one of the biggest parts of their life and when it gets to exam time, they’re going to need your support. You could do some reading yourself or provide them with the resources you find that can help them, for example you can learn how to beat exam stress in this article by Daniel Wong or watch some YouTube videos on how to revise properly.
Spend Quality Time Together
Spending time with your teen is important if you want to improve your parent-teen relationship. You may find that sometimes they’d rather hang out with their friends than you, but that shouldn’t stop you from persisting on quality time. You could also think about doing things together in the house on days that you’re both home such as cooking together, watching a film, or having a family games night. Activities like these are usually the cement that helps create a lasting bond. Aside from being a lot of fun, it is also a way to get to know your child better as well as work on your communication with one another.
Lead By Example
Once your child becomes a teenager, they’re old enough to understand what’s going on around them. This means that they can smell hypocrisy from a mile away so practicing what you preach is important. For this reason, it’s key that you try and continuously better yourself and overcome any bad habits you may have that they could pick up such as anger issues, aggressive behavior, not keeping to your word or alcohol addictions. By showing that you understand the problems you may be facing, and tackling them, they will be able to lead by example. If you think you are suffering from an addiction, look into seeking help from an alcohol rehab facility. By dealing with your problems in a mature way you will be able to lead by example on how to take practical steps to better yourself. Nobody is perfect. However, you should do your best to walk the talk.
Raising teenagers isn’t a walk in the park, but it’s possible that looking back on your days as a teenager may help you fill some of the knowledge gaps. Although that may have been a few decades away, some things don’t change such as puberty, a desire to be accepted, and the confusion that often accompanies self-discovery. However, being there as both a parent and a friend may make the journey easier for both you and your kids.
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