Parenting a teenager requires a new set of tools and experience; otherwise, it can lead to stressful situations. The life of a teenager is like a roller coaster ride with new set of experiences. If you become too friendly or too strict at this stage, then you might inculcate wrong behavior in the minds of your children, and they can eventually take up the wrong decision in life. It becomes a tedious task to create a balance between the behavior you want from them and the perils that you have to deal with their growing adolescence.
You want them to be happy, but you need to understand that from now on you need to let them experience life on their own. But this doesn’t mean you will let them go out of control. So in a rush to become ideal parents, we often make some mistakes that can adversely affect our relationship with our children. So here are a few things that you should avoid with a teenager.
1. Saving your child from the wrath of disappointment
We never wish to see our child’s face disappointed and wish for a prosperous and happy life for them. So parents are often seen forewarning their children and making them cautious. But this is a wrong way to face the difficulties of life. By doing this, you are not letting your children experience life. Remember that life is the best teacher. If your kids make a mistake, they will learn from it and never repeat. You need to make your children independent so that they can take their own decisions in future.
2. Becoming very lenient
As parents of teenagers, you try to become over friendly in the hope that your child might share every detail of their life. So to achieve this, you become too lenient and allow them to do whatever they wish. However, this is a wrong move, because your child is not mature enough to understand the difference between right and wrong. You can become their friend to help them make better decisions in life, but for this, you need to strike a judicious balance as well.
3. Not giving enough time to your kids
You think that now that your child has stepped into teenage, you need not spend much time with them. It might seem to your kid that you are too nagging to be around all the time, but the moment they face any trouble, parents will be the first thought that will come in their minds. So, involve your kids in taking family decisions and try to make them responsible.
4. Enquiring about grades from college teacher/professor
You child has steeped in their teenage life and still if you keep on enquiring about them from their teachers, it will embarrass them. They can become the object of fun among friends and classmates. If you need to understand the academic progress of your child, ask them directly. If they score poor grades, then make them understand politely instead of giving them punishment.
5. Selecting a career for them
It is mostly seen that parents try to fulfill their unfulfilled desires via their children. Well, you cannot do that. This is because your want and desires can be different from your kids. You cannot choose a career for them. It is up to your children to decide what they wish to achieve in life. All you can do is support them and guide them on a right path.
6. Answering on their behalf
At school or college, you need to allow your kids to face the question. You need to stop speaking on their behalf. You need to realize that now it is time to allow your children to speak up for themselves and become independent.
7. Telling a lie to save them
Lying to safeguard your children is a habit most mothers follow. You feel that this can protect your child from any punishment. But you need to let your child face the consequences of their deeds. If they have done anything wrong, it needs to get rectified at the nip. You need to let your children understand that they are solely responsible for their action and in future, they need to be more cautious.
