Teen years are some of the most difficult times a human goes through in their lifetime.
For some parents, it is almost impossible to deal with them. If you try to remember and think about your teen years, most likely you were a handful during those years as well. It shouldn’t come as all that much of a surprise that your child is going through some of the same things that you did. Sure, life is different now in that we live in a high tech world. Almost all of the same things that you dealt with as a child exist today, even if they are a bit more extreme.
Your teenager is facing many different challenges, teens experience a lot of body changes including mood swings. Some of them will affect their performance at school. If your child begins to experience a dip in their grades, don’t act like the house is on fire. Stay calm, and try your best to come up with solutions that work. Notice how the education system takes a one size fits all approach to education. Schools don’t see students as individuals, and that is where the rift begins. It’s your job to somehow find ways to make sure that your child doesn’t lose interest even if they aren’t performing to the best of their abilities. A teenager’s body and life are both going through so many different changes, and you need to keep all that in mind when you approach the difficulties that they’re having.
Whatever you do, don’t shame your teen
Sometimes you may act out of frustration and say to your child that they aren’t performing as you did at their age. You might even take the easy way out and flat out shame them. As a parent, your frustrations are real, but you can’t take them out on your teenager. If you shame your teen, the situation is only going to get worse. During times like these, it might feel like the pressure that’s building up in you needs a place to go, but shaming your child isn’t going to make matters any better. If you shame your child, they will only feel worse and shut down and some end up getting very depressed. Whatever you do, try to have a good relationship with your teen.
Teaching your teen how to use tools will be very beneficial for them.
Reality is that a person’s happiness will most likely be based on what they were thought at home as a child, and what that child saw growing up. None of this is meant to put undue pressure on you, but to help you understand the gravity of what you’ve got to face. You are the provider of tools that your child will use to solve their problems. It’s those same tools that they will use later in life to solve their issues. You also need to make sure that your child sees that you’re not buckling under pressure. When you are faced with a difficult situation, you don’t throw your hands up or show signs of self-destructive behavior. Instead, your child sees you facing challenges head-on and showing gratitude when you’ve overcome them.
It is very rewarding when you build a good relationship with your family, especially your teens!
