Happy Tuesday beautiful people ❤️❤️❤️
Every Tuesdays I share some quick tips on Positive Parenting techniques on this Platform and my other social media pages.
Please note- I’m not a perfect parent, my adult children can testify to that 😁
I share my experiences and what I have learnt about parenting because I care and just in case someone needs it.
Besides, I do get lots of positive feedbacks from parents, so I know I must be helping them in their parenting journey. 😁
So today I’m going to share a little bit about parenting a teenager.
So here we go 👇
First of all, let me start by telling you that as a parent of an 18 year old, it can be hard knowing what he wants and needs at any particular giving time.
Like many teenagers, my son’s mood was all over the place during sixth form.
Sometimes he is great and cheerful and sometimes moody and quiet.
There are times he will snap at me and I will feel like I want to slap him but I’m an adult so I keep cool because I understand he doesn’t mean it, I blame it on his hormones 😁
Because in the very next minutes or so he would come to my room and just lay down next to me and we will talk about stuff and laugh and laugh about some silly jokes.
As a mom I felt the pressure of making the most of the time I had left with my son under my roof. ❤️
Here is what your teens need from you during those challenging years.
BELIEVE IN THEM ALWAYS:
If we can’t believe in our kids, who will? We must instill this belief until they believe in themselves. Being a safe space for teens means never giving up on them, NO MATTER WHAT!
We start by modeling it in our life, by believing in OURSELVES as parents. We can’t give away what we don’t have. When they see us pursue our passions confidently and continue to press forward when life knocks us down, we create a safe space by default.
Our children need our loving voice in their ears, letting them know they have what it takes within. We teach them to trust their internal GPS and go through life with their heart wide open.
DON’T TAKE THINGS PERSONALLY
It’s tricky not to take your teen’s behavior personally, but the reality is, our teen’s behavior isn’t about us. The less we personalize it, the better.
DON’T EXPECT PERFECTION
Every little thing we comment on, nitpick, or get frustrated over often comes across like we expect flawless behavior. The fastest way to curb this issue on both sides is to let go of our expectations and lists of shoulds. About everything.
If you want your teen to trust you, you have to let the small stuff go and pick and choose your battles.
My final thoughts, if you’re a parent of teenager like me, I would like you to know that all they really need is love, and knowing that they have someone that got their back at home is a very big deal for them, because they’re are in a lot of pressure from friends, schools, peers and the society. Be kind to them.
Of course you need to be firm and set boundaries, however you can also be kind in your approach. Don’t take things personally.
Are you looking for more resources regarding how to talk with your teen? Then check out our parenting book.
Thanks for reading through and have an amazing day today.
Positive Parenting With Olu 