Adolescence is a phase with a ton of struggles, for both the child and the parent. The child must deal with multiple physical – and mental changes. While the parent needs to carefully manage their child’s mood swings during this growth spurt. It’s a challenge that honestly leaves most parents stumped when it comes to choosing the right course of action that can be taken to help communicate with their child during this tenuous period.
So, to make this transitional period easier, you should keep the following five things in mind to raise an adolescent.
Keep your emotions in check
Teenagers can go through some serious mood swings due to the inflow of hormones. This can lead to spontaneous and unpredictable behaviour that might not seem all that pleasant at first glance. However, keep in mind that you should not take your child’s behaviour to heart – instead, you should understand that your child is not being rational or serious with their outbursts. So, instead of letting your emotions get the better of you, take the higher road and be calm, cool, and collected in your approach.
Correct them when they’re wrong, but don’t be smug
With unmitigated access to the internet, there are chances that your child might receive false information from dubious sources. This can be quite damaging to your child’s intellect, especially if he or she trusts a source that’s wrong from the get-go. Thus, it’s vital to ensure that you nip this incorrect information in the bud and help your child learn from the appropriate mediums. However, make sure that you don’t seem too pretentious or smug in your response. If your child feels like you’re looking down on them and trying to one-up them in every argument, then they’ll develop a sense of resentment towards your teachings and not absorb everything you’re trying to convey. So, while you should always try and correct your child if they’re wrong, don’t be too high-and-mighty while doing so.
Take your child seriously
There’s a reason why we’re stressing on the point that you should not be smug with your child – chances are that you might underestimate a teenager’s intelligence, which is understandable. However, it’s important to keep an open mind always. Understand your child’s viewpoint to understand the mentality behind the point they’re trying to get across. Thus, instead of looking down at your child’s views, you’ll be able to initiate a proper conversation that might broaden your horizons as well.
Be supportive if they feel depressed
One of the consequences of suffering frequent mood swings is that your child might feel sad or depressed at times, for reasons that might not seem clear at first glance. These moods can be triggered by the smallest of things, which makes it hard for parents to pinpoint the source of this sadness. Therefore, it’s important to talk to your child whenever they seem slightly off and understand what they’re feeling and why they’re feeling it. Only by doing so will you be able to support your child and provide them with the counselling they need to get out of the rut they’re stuck in.
Become a role model to them
It’s incredibly hard to be a role model for your child. People generally tend to identify the flaws in the people they’ve for the longest, and you – being the parent – are this person for your child. Thus, it becomes crucial to exhibit good values in front of your child so that he or she can look up to you, instead of questioning your actions. Being a good influence is always important – especially when you’re trying to be the best parent for your child.
Raising a teenager can be quite frustrating. There are times when you might feel like losing your cool, and understandably so. However, this is where you need to keep the points mentioned above in mind. Doing so will help you deal with your teenage child and become more than just a parent – you can become the best friend and confidant of your kid, who will trust you always if you manage to power through this challenging phase with sterling results.