Teenage and more particularly adolescence is a notoriously difficult time for many children to cope with.
Peer pressure is a very significant part of the behavior that a teenager displays and at this stage of life rapport with a parent is both very crucial and very difficult to establish.
If however parents can think of creative ways to spend some quality time with their teenager, a closer and more confiding healthy relationship may well develop.
Go shopping
If there is one thing than most teenage girls enjoy, it’s going shopping. Schedule a mall visit with your teenage daughter; if a friend of two is coming along, so much the better.
This will give you an excellent insight into your daughter’s priorities, her interests and also the kind of relationship she has with her friends.
And perhaps you could also take some sartorial pointers from your teen; she is after all more likely to be aware of current trends; that could make her feel you value her opinion.
Get Techno Savvy
Teens these days are always connected, constantly online and very ‘with’ all the new gizmos. If you cannot tell an ipod from a pea pod, get with it a bit. Read up a little, surf a little and be more up to date about ‘Twitter’ing, ‘Stumble’ing, ‘Digg’ing, ‘Myspace’ing and ‘Facebook’ing.
If your child has an online presence be aware of it; be it a blog, or a photo sharing website or something else. Being techno savvy will give you common ground and things to discuss. Your teen will also see you in a new light. [internet safety]
Get to know their friends
Now this has to be done with great tact. It cannot seem like interfering or curiosity and it certainly should not make your teen feel like their parent is making too much of an effort to befriend their friends.
Teens are easily embarrassed, so be aware of your particular youngster’s embarrassment triggers and thresholds. So while not appearing pushy, appear friendly and interested. Don’t make too much of an effort to be ‘cool’ let the kids make up their own mind about that one. Know when to back off.
Take in a film or a ball game
Though these are activities that teens may prefer to engage in with friends, let on that you were thinking of seeing such and such film and were wondering if it may be a good idea if you went together.
Try different permutations and combinations to see what works for you and your teen to spend time together and to develop a closer, healthier relationship.
