Parenting Tips in Adolescence

In all human development phases, adolescence is one of the most rapid one. This period might confuse or scare some parents because they see their kids changing physically, mentally and emotionally. Usually, the psychosocial maturity comes after biological maturity has taken place. The changes taking place during adolescence have health value both in the adolescence stage as well as in the life-course. Some of physical changes that girls might experience are changes in body shape, monthly periods and larger breasts. Teens develop a sense of self identity and self-esteem. At this stage, both genders show progress in intellectual development, communication skills as well as expressing themselves well. Therefore, in all these three stages, parents need to pay much attention to what their children are going through.

They need to understand that during adolescence stage, children are encompassed by conflicting emotions and thoughts. Parents need to consult a psychologist in case their children display behavioral problems. By knowing what is expected during the stage, parents can cope with it better. In achieving this, parents can read widely on the topic about teenagers. This will make them know what they are dealing with and what to expect in the journey. Apart from reading books, a parent can reflect on their own teen years. With this, parents can relate to what their children are going through. Moreover, parents need to set expectations and reasonable boundaries for their children during the adolescent stage (Dunlop & Macdonald, 2015). However, they need to respect their privacy.

The expectations that parents ought to set for their young boys and girls can include acceptable behavior, attainment of good grades in school as well as house rules such as the going out and coming in time, sleep time and so on. The expectations, however, should not make the student lose their self-confidence. They should be reasonable and teens need to be aware that it is for their own good. Being a friend to your teen can make them open up to you about what disturbs them when they are down. They will be able to share with the parent everything that they need advice and support. Therefore, parents need to offer their teens consideration, respect, authenticity and a shoulder to cry on.

In return, the parents will receive all the respect and love that they deserve from them. Furthermore, parents need to choose their battles wisely when raising adolescents. Teach them to be responsible for the decisions they make rather than getting angry when they make their decisions (Coleman, 2013). They need to be taught to be responsible not only for themselves but for their family, friends and the society at large. Sometimes, parents can leave the task of taking care of the house even when they are around. This can include giving them money to budget for the monthly spending of the house. Also, parents can teach their adolescents o be responsible by allowing them to volunteer for something, take up a summer job or give them chores.