Tricky Conversations You Need to Have When Parenting a Teenager
As a parent, you have to complete lots of tasks that aren’t easy; that’s just part of the job. If you’re going to succeed in being the very best parent you can be, it’s important to know when to step in and when you need to take action. And for your son or daughter, one of the most turbulent times in their life is when they’re going through the changes that come with adolescence.
It’s a tricky time in anyone’s life and as their parent, you need to be there to help and guide your son or daughter as they go through this time. That means having quite a few tricky conversations and being able to help with a wide range of problems that teens often experience during this period of their lives.
To help make that task a little less daunting and a bit more clear for you, we’re going to cover some of the most important yet tricky conversations you’ll need to have when parenting a teenager, so read on to find out more.
Staying on Track Academically
When your son or daughter is reaching the age at which they want to go to parties and they’re more interested in their romantic lives than their academic lives, it’s up to you to try to keep them on track. Of course, that’s often easier said than done because you want your kids to do well but they’re not going to listen to what you’re saying if they feel like you’re nagging them all the time. Show them why their school work still matters and encourage and support them rather than nagging them.
Mental Health Challenges
There’s a range of mental health challenges that your teenager might be facing. More than ever, people in their teenage years are dealing with the pressure that comes with school work and everything else going on around them. This can lead to problems with stress, anxiety and even depression. It’s important you know the signs of these problems and are able to talk to your son or daughter about. When it comes to supporting your child’s mental health, open communication is key.
Talking About Love
It’s more than likely that your son or daughter is going to have all things romantic on their mind. And when that happens for the first time, things can get confusing and messy for them pretty quickly. You need to be there to impart a few words of wisdom when the time’s right, while also giving them the space they need. Sometimes they’ll need advice from you but at other times, they’ll just need you to be there for support. That can be really important at times.
Alcohol and Drugs
This is one of the toughest conversations to have but it also has the potential to be one of the most important. You should discuss with them the problems that come with using drugs and drinking too much alcohol. The risks are real and teens can experiment with these things and fall into problems if they don’t have the right kind of guidance from parents. It’s a difficult subject to deal with but it’s worth making the effort to get it right if you can.
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Money Management
Money management might not feel like the most urgent subject in the world when you’re bringing up your child and hoping to show them the ways of the world. But they’re going to be earning their own money and getting their first part-time jobs soon, so it makes sense to teach them about the importance of managing their money, saving it and spending it wisely. These are the kinds of life lessons that will eventually turn out to be incredibly useful, so don’t underestimate their potential impact later on.
Discuss Sexual Health and What to do About It
Another thing that your son or daughter is going to be doing for the first time is having sex. You might not like to hear that but it’s more than likely true, and you should make sure they understand what safe sex is and why it’s so important that they practice safe sex. You don’t want to be taking them for a treatment for chlamydia in a few months’ time, so it makes sense to teach them this now. Things like teen pregnancies are still common and that’s probably what you’ll all want to avoid.
Staying Safe Online
Staying safe online is vital and it’s something that parents should be focused on with their kids from an early age. When they’re younger, you should monitor what they’re doing online and who they’re talking to. But you can’t really do that when they reach adolescence and rightly expect a little more privacy. However, staying safe online remains important, so you should think about how you can talk to them about these issues and encourage them to talk to you if there’s anything they’re concerned about.
Working
As we mentioned above, your child will soon be entering the world of work and you should try your best to prepare them for that. Talk to them about what career path they might want to consider and think about what you might be able to do to assist them. It’s not easy when you’re young to know what you want to do and which directions you want to take in life, and it’s often a lot easier with parental support, so that’s what you should always try your best to offer.
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Physical and Emotional Changes
Adolescence and puberty bring about a wide range of physical changes, as well as plenty of emotional ones. You should do your best to talk to your child about these issues, put their mind at ease if there’s anything that’s worrying them and let them know the things they’re experiencing are perfectly normal. These things can be frustrating, confusing and so many other things all at the same time. Be there to help them through and answer any questions they might want to put to you at this time. It’ll help them a great deal.
Finding Their Own Way
Your child needs to start finding their own way in life at this age and this is something that can be very difficult for parents. Their views, thoughts and beliefs might start to differ from your home for the first time and that’s tricky. But it’s also a good thing because it means they’re growing into their own person. And you should let them know that. In the end, they’ll find their own way regardless but it’s easier for them if you help them with that process.
Guiding Their Talents
Everyone has their own set of talents and abilities and there’s nothing wrong with wanting to guide your child as they start to navigate these things for themselves. They might know that they’re good at certain things but be unsure of how to direct those talents. You can offer that structure, advice and guidance to them and help them to really develop and blossom. This isn’t necessarily a tricky conversation but they’re conversations worth having nonetheless.
Parenting a teenager is probably one of the most challenging things you’ll ever do in your life. There’s no easy mode and no one gets it right 100% of the time. But knowing how to interact with your teen and which conversations are most important is a vital part of getting this right.
