How to raise a teenager
HOW TO RAISE A TEENAGER…
I would not stand here to reduce parenting to the old clichéd expression as 'easy as pie': Nevertheless, raising an adolescent is in many ways like, baking a cake. It requires time, patience and the right ingredients. I am here to reassure you that all hope is not lost. Different teens have different ways to deal with growing up. It is a period where they are trying to find out whom they are and what they want to do with their lives. This is all very confusing to them; self-discovery, new independence and the ability to make their own decisions. But in due course, as they discover their inner self, you will see your teenager rise to be happy and filled with purpose once again. I am here to guide up you through those ups and downs, and stand here as a guide to what you may or may not have known.
Trust. Trust is the fundamental building block in a jubilant and healthy relationship.
What is a relationship without trust? It is like having a phone without a battery or a car without gas. It just does not work.
Trust in your teen proves to them that you are confident that they would not misbehave or do things that they should not be doing without your consent. Trust comes in many different forms - the honesty you share with your teenager and a respect for their privacy. Do not second-guess your teenager. Do not give them a reason to not trust you. This is because it takes a long time to build that foundation of trust and it only takes one wrong move to destroy it. If I can be so bold as to revisit the analogy of a cake, rebuilding is the hardest part. So I suggest you avoid it with calculated preparation.
I understand why you might want to enter your teenager's chat rooms or emails; this is where our paternal instincts come to life! It has happened to me countlessly. The urge to visit their computers, when they are in school, and pry. I was cruelly and intentionally denied access by the barriers of the evil 'password required'
I would not stand here to reduce parenting to the old clichéd expression as 'easy as pie': Nevertheless, raising an adolescent is in many ways like, baking a cake. It requires time, patience and the right ingredients. I am here to reassure you that all hope is not lost. Different teens have different ways to deal with growing up. It is a period where they are trying to find out whom they are and what they want to do with their lives. This is all very confusing to them; self-discovery, new independence and the ability to make their own decisions. But in due course, as they discover their inner self, you will see your teenager rise to be happy and filled with purpose once again. I am here to guide up you through those ups and downs, and stand here as a guide to what you may or may not have known.
Trust. Trust is the fundamental building block in a jubilant and healthy relationship.
What is a relationship without trust? It is like having a phone without a battery or a car without gas. It just does not work.
Trust in your teen proves to them that you are confident that they would not misbehave or do things that they should not be doing without your consent. Trust comes in many different forms - the honesty you share with your teenager and a respect for their privacy. Do not second-guess your teenager. Do not give them a reason to not trust you. This is because it takes a long time to build that foundation of trust and it only takes one wrong move to destroy it. If I can be so bold as to revisit the analogy of a cake, rebuilding is the hardest part. So I suggest you avoid it with calculated preparation.
I understand why you might want to enter your teenager's chat rooms or emails; this is where our paternal instincts come to life! It has happened to me countlessly. The urge to visit their computers, when they are in school, and pry. I was cruelly and intentionally denied access by the barriers of the evil 'password required'