Teaching Your Teens

This week we talked a lot about parenting teens.  Our main job as a parent is to prepare our children to be independent, well-functioning adults.  To best do that, we need to be active parents.  Active parents need to be involved with their children, monitor their activities, show them respect, teach them how to use their agency, and teach them good problem-solving skills.  Active parents also need to have a good, solid relationship with their child.  If you have a good relationship with your child, they are more likely to respect you and to listen to you, even if they don't necessarily agree with you.  If you don't have a good relationship with your child, start developing one now!  Find common interests with your child or take an interest in their interests; talk with them and discuss things with them-don't just lecture them.  Listen to your child and to what they are saying and respect them and their opinion, even if you don't agree with it.  Everybody wants to be listened to, especially teens.  When talking with your teen, acknowledge their feelings and don't immediately jump to conclusions, accuse them, or get angry.  Let them tell their side of the story.  And be a good example to your children, young and teenaged.  Children learn more from an example than from a lecture.