4 Tips For Protecting And Connecting With Your Teen
You have always loved spending time with your child, but you’ve noticed that as their teen years came, things changed.
As kids become teens, they gain freedom and responsibility. They learn more than ever about the world around them, and are ready to learn less from their parents. But with this freedom comes the power to make bad decisions that can impact their future.
It is important for parents who want to connect with their teens to know the dangers that they can be exposed to. You want to prepare your teen for these new and exciting freedoms so that they are well-equipped to make good choices.
Here are some tips on how to continue to connect with your teen while also preparing them for their young adult years.
1. Invest in their Hobbies
Kids like to color, play outside, and play video games. When your child becomes a teen though, they may find they enjoy playing a particular sport, learning an instrument, or drawing pictures. Supporting them in the activities they love is a great way to connect and show them that you love the person they are becoming.
Supporting healthy hobbies is also a great way to keep your teen safe and healthy. Often times, teens make unhealthy decisions when they are bored, unsupervised, or feeling alone and upset. Showing your teen that you support them by showing up to games, enrolling them in a sport or music lessons, and helping them succeed can prevent some of those feelings.
2. Make Time Together
While story time before bed might not be an option anymore, there are plenty of ways to set up time to spend with your teen. Take a vacation to visit family. Go see a movie they were excited for. Plan some time with your teen each week to just sit down and do something together.
Even if you only have time for a quick breakfast before school, this time is incredibly valuable. If all your time with your teen is spent reprimanding or enforcing rules, without time just enjoying their company, it will be hard to connect.
Be sure to add some fun time into both of your schedules. This time is for enjoying each others company without stressing about grades or other life stressors.
3. Maintain Open Communication
Teen years are when many children begin to explore or hear about drugs and alcohol. If you already have an open dialogue with your child, they are more likely to talk to you when these things appear in their lives. It is essential to do your own research and know the facts so that you can be a resource for your child rather than just being clueless.
Many children make seemingly innocent decisions without being properly informed. Open communication means that you can explain there is a dark side to vaping from an adult’s perspective.
Right now, they have no way of knowing the consequences of putting harmful substances in their body unless they are informed by a parent. But by being non-judgmental, they’re more likely to hear your case.
4. Nobody is Perfect
You can follow every parenting tip by the book and still end up making mistakes. It is important to be patient with yourself and your child, especially in their teen years. Raising a teen is difficult, and there will always be challenges to face. Remember that the foundation of all of this is love. You love your teen and they love you, no matter what they’re experiencing.
Learn to be the type of parent that makes time with their teen, supports them in their hobbies, and maintains open communication. You don’t have to be perfect, you just have to be there.
