Positive Parenting for Teenagers

Teens are complicated. Communication with teens is even more complicated! Everyone can agree that parenting is one of the most challenging jobs. There’s no textbook or manual out there to make things easier. Amidst the difficulty of parenting and the turbulent nature of teens, how can you encourage positive behaviour? How can positive parenting help?

Try these techniques:

• Spend quality time together. There’s no better way to promote positive behaviour than to tear down the barriers between family members, especially when it comes to communication. When everyone is more comfortable in each other’s presence, teens will naturally want to be around them. And they will cultivate a positive attitude as a result.

Go out for dinner. Organize an outing for the family. Get creative by playing board games together. Think about activities your teen enjoys and base the quality time around that. They’re more likely to participate if its something they enjoy.

• Listen. Teens often feel that their parents aren’t listening to them, and they’re constantly trying to prove a point. Why not change this? Try out positive parenting techniques and make it a point to listen and be interested in what they say. This action may help open that line of communication, leading them to share more about what they’re going through.

• Take your teen seriously. Teens are known for their independent thinking. Some teens can also be willful at times. However, this does not mean that you treat them differently or ignore them whenever they have an opinion. In positive parenting, it’s important to validate their emotions and make them feel comfortable to express what they need to. Remember that the things they say and do are symptoms of the issues they’re facing at the moment.

• Take time to have fun together. Parents who build fun activities into the day keep their teenagers and themselves happy. Think about activities that require social interaction make for a good time. We have so many things that can cause worry. But when you look back years from today, you won’t remember the hard times as much as the fun memories we created with the people we love.

Each year, the world becomes more complicated and challenging for kids to navigate. It’s our job as parents to help them learn the tools to navigate it and with positive parenting you can. It’s worth every minute of your time trying to understand them, or at least lending an ear. Guiding them towards positive behaviour is a continuous process that may take time. But it can be gratifying when you see the results!