It’s difficult to refrain from emotions, even for adults. The drastic changes in their developing brain are the reason teenagers can’t control their questionable behaviour, and parents are no longer an authority. Hundreds of new thoughts and feelings arise in their minds, and these cause irritability, shyness, and constant suffering. Kids do not rush to share their worries with the “dinosaur” parents, and in striving to find love and appreciation, teenagers enter the dating world and often refer to free dating sites. Don’t get mad as you need to support children now more than ever, and it’s something parents just have to learn how to do.
Tools For Parents To Support Teens Through Relationships
It’s hard to maintain close communication with a teenager, they are prickly for dozens of reasons, but a supportive parent-child relationship reduces the chances of any number of major problems such as one-way crush, first breakup, or betrayal of love. A supportive relationship means listening well, staying positive, and using your authority wisely. Knowing positive approaches to support children’s behaviour is one thing, but the reality is another.
Let’s Talk About Guiding and Supporting Children’s Behaviour
Listen well
You as a parent often question yourself: “How to support children’s emotional well-being?” The answer is: “Listen well”. Teenagers do not eagerly reveal their inner world to their “old-fashioned’ parents, so you will have to watch the mood of your child. Listen and hear, refrain from unnecessary advice and harsh comments, always bear in mind how important it is to support children. Show your interest, compassion and keep the lines of communication always open for your kid. When it’s a good time, start a petty talk about music or movies, and then you can move forward to ask about friends and affection, encourage and support your teen’s individual interests and feelings. Tell your teen about emotional awareness – the ability to recognize instant emotional feelings and realize them.
Stay positive
Remember: you are a useful resource to learn anything your teenager wants to know – dating, relationships, sex, stress – you’ve been through it all! You know the nuances and details they will never get from the internet or friends. When we talk about how to support children’s emotional development, your experience is invaluable. You can explain many important aspects of relations: that intimacy is by no means synonymous with the complete merging of two people, that we should not romanticize other people.
Tell about Compassion, understanding, steps forward…When one person invests time, energy, and soul in a relationship but does not receive a proportionate response, it’s unnatural, and such a relationship is toxic.
Despite your commitment to support your children at any time, at some point, teens start to realize that the parents do not know everything and do not have the keys for all kinds of struggle. Teens start to question who’s really in charge, and you start to lose control. Though you tend to be your child’s friend, you need to make it clear that you are still not peers and your roles are not equal. Preparation to adulthood is one of the areas where parents should have an ultimate decision in some aspects. For instance, this means that you decide if your teen can go out until midnight. Talk about your views, especially your views on sexual activity, drugs and alcohol, abusive relationships, and other risk behaviours such as self-harming (e.g., cutting) and eating disorders.
These are the activities to support children’s mental health, listen to your teen, be transparent and sincere. You will get through that together!
Tell us about your tips and tricks to support your children in the comments below.
Author Bio: Miranda is an experienced relationship writer. Miranda enjoys studying relationship counselling, education, and development that focuses on improving communication. Miranda is passionate about cooking and yoga.
