Four Great Mommy Tips for Raising Teenage Kids

Parenting is perhaps the most rewarding and most challenging responsibility a person can ever have. It is a round-the-clock job, with countless overtime and zero pay. It is challenging enough when your child is a curious little cherub getting into all sorts of mishaps at home, but come the teenage years, you’ll find yourself in an entirely different ballpark.

Teenagers are notorious for being headstrong and even rebellious, but this shouldn’t stop you from being a part of your children’s lives and helping them make healthy choices. Here are some parenting tips for raising teenage kids to be smart, responsible, and well-rounded adults.

Listen without Judgement

Many parents complain that their teenagers don’t listen to them anymore. Instead of talking, try listening to your children for a change, and you’ll be surprised at what they have to share.

Today’s teenagers face a lot of alarming threats that were unheard of in the previous generation, such as eating disorders, cyberbullying, and school shootings. It is important that you build honest and open communication with them so you are always aware of what they are struggling with, and this begins by listening without judgment.

Whenever your children open up about their feelings and struggles, thank them for their honesty, and don’t rush in to give advice or criticism. Sometimes all they need is a listening ear. On the other hand, when you criticize or judge your children, you might push them away and cause them to confide in other people who are more accepting of them.

Model Good Behavior

Respect is an important component of any healthy relationship, and to earn your children’s respect, you will have to set yourself as a good example to them. Perfection should not be the goal, but you should at least try hard to be a positive influence.

If you want your children to develop healthy habits, then you must be someone they can look up to when it comes to health and wellness. Eat healthily, exercise regularly, and be disciplined with your sleep schedule.

Practice what you preach. If you want your children to avoid unhealthy habits like smoking and substance abuse, then you, too, should make sure that you do not have any vices that might put them off. If you suspect that your child might be experimenting with drugs or smoking, you can administer a nicotine-test kit or home drug test.

Support Their Interests

Teenagers are still building their identities, and this manifests in them trying out many different hobbies and interests. Some kids will be into music while others will prefer to experiment in the kitchen. One way you can establish trust with your children is to show them that you support their interests.

Get creative with the way you get involved in your children’s hobbies. For example, if your child is part of a sport, you don’t have to attend all the games. In fact, many teenagers are embarrassed to have their parents watch them, and you shouldn’t take this personally. This is just their way of showing to their peers that they are independent. You can still support them by preparing high-protein snacks for them or organizing fund-raisers to raise money they can use for uniforms.

Be Friends with Their Friends

The saying “Tell me who your friends are and I’ll tell you who you are” is probably most applicable to teenagers. At this age, your kids actively seek the approval and validation of their friends more than anyone outside their family. For this reason, it is important that you get to know who the people your children are spending the most time with.

Don’t just stop at knowing the names of your children’s friends though. Take time to get to know each one of them. Make them feel welcome in your own home by inviting them during special occasions like birthday parties or even a simple weekend barbeque. When you build rapport with your kids’ friends, you can get honest feedback from them about how your child is doing at school or in their personal lives.

Teenagers can be a handful, but don’t let this stop you from being the best parent you can be. Whenever you feel frustrated, keep in mind that the teenage years are temporary, so just enjoy and learn from every moment while it lasts.