Being the parent of a teenager can certainly be a trying time in any adult’s life. Often times, teens of parents feel as though their teens are drifting away from them, becoming their own independent people and partaking less in family activities. Fortunately, there are some basic facts that all parents should be aware of in order to successfully raise a respectful teenager.
Teens Want Parents to Understand Them
Having a teen storm out of the room or kick into a full-fledged mood swing is par for the course with many teenagers who are experiencing hormonal changes in the body. However, many parents make the mistake of trying to step back and give their teens space during this time, when in reality, all the teen wants is for the parent to understand where he or she is coming from.
Teens Need their Parents
While a person’s teenage years should be a time of self discovery and gradual independence, it is important that parents realize there are limits to the amount of freedom a teen should be given. Setting curfews, following through with punishments and establishing boundaries is important whether the child is 13 or 17.
Teens Need Help in Emergencies
Teens are notorious for being reckless and not thinking things through before they do something. Therefore, parents have the responsibility of having emergency numbers on hand at all times. This remains true of both medical and dental emergencies. Say a teen falls and busts a tooth while trying out a new trick on his skateboard; having a dentist to turn to such as an emergency dentist like Joel E. Rothman can make all the difference.
Teens Need Academic Guidance
While discovering their true identities, many teens will begin thinking about potential future careers and even colleges. This is where parents should step in and offer as much guidance as possible. Helping teens research potential colleges or even allowing him or her to follow a parent on the job for a day can help the child to make important decisions about the future.
Teens Need their Friends
While getting to know a teen’s group of friends is important to ensure that they are upstanding citizens, teens need to spend time with their own cohort. While curfews and limitations on when they can hang out are reasonable, making sure that a teen has time to bond with friends during the week and weekend is important for his or her social development.
There are many things parents of teens should know, with the above list containing just a few of those. All parents should keep this in mind as they raise their teens into successful young adults.