Becoming a teenager is a big change for your former little ones.
The increased need for privacy and independence that teens crave is countered by the need for supervision and parental involvement.
Obviously, what teens want and parents want can create tension and even arguments at times.
According to Luis Felipe Amunategui, PhD with University Hospitals, there are six things that you can do to maintain a strong relationship with your adolescent.
Trust Your Gut
You made rules and set limits for your child their whole life, so it shouldn’t be a problem now. If something seems off, it likely is. Follow your instincts.
Clear & Concise Communication
It’s essential to communicate your expectations. Amunategui said to make sure your teen knows what’s expected of them, and be consistent.
Have age-specific supervision, rules and privileges that are the same for all family members.
“Oh nothing…”
Teens can be short with you, so when it comes to conversations, try not to grill them.
Experts recommended to try a new approach: tell them about your day.
Acknowledge if they seem angry, upset or sad, make sure they know you’re here for them.
Privacy is a Privilege
Another way to have a strong relationship with your teen is remembering that privacy is a privilege, not a right. They have to earn it.
Consequences
If you want your rules followed, there have to be consequences when they’re broken.
Be reasonable and make it enforceable.
Kids Will Be Kids
They’ll make mistakes, just hopefully not big ones. Don’t overreact, or underreact.
Amunategui said that substance use should be a major offense and consequences should be big enough that they will not want to make that mistake in the future.
