6 Keys To Understanding And Treating A Teenager

Teenage girl listening to music.

Adolescence is a stage of change and sometimes rebellion, so it can be difficult for a parent to manage the relationship with a child of this age. During this vital period, adolescents can experience hormonal changes, identity search situations and frustrations that can determine their behavior and their relationship with their loved ones.

The relationship with parents, due to their closeness and their attempt to control their behavior, can cause complex situations and high intensity conflicts. In large part because teenagers want to be more independent and live life your way.

Many parents go through delicate situations when dealing with their children. In this article, I propose some tips to understand them and deal with your teenager

Adolescence is a complicated stage

Adolescence is a difficult stage and many parents can feel overwhelmed We have all been teenagers, and we know how the relationship with our parents can be tense during this stage. It is at this moment when people begin to explore new horizons and understand that there is a world waiting outside the family. An adolescent is more sensitive to events that happen far from the family nucleus, which prepares them for later stages and adult life.

This stage is key to achieving sufficient confidence, a strong personality, and to being a successful adult in different areas of life, and in these years one learns to gain the acceptance of others, especially those of the same age. It is no longer enough for the family to accept and support their children, and those parents who understand this change, They will help him grow healthier psychologically and be more prepared to face the challenges that life may demand of you in the future.

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Tips for understanding and treating a teenager

Being a parent of a teenager can have difficult times, and conflicts can appear at any time. That is why it is necessary to know how to manage the situation effectively. Now, first of all it is essential to be empathetic and understand the behavior of our adolescent children. How to do it? By following the advice below.

1. Have the will to understand

It is easy to get carried away by emotions and get into conflicts when a child seems to be going his own way. But interpersonal relationships with children of this age are complicated for a series of reasons. It’s not about giving in to a child’s whims, but understanding the situation as it is will help you manage conflicts better and make wise decisions

Therefore, we must strive to adopt the perspective of the son or daughter, and take into account the entire set of elements that are influencing their way of living life and valuing their own happiness and concerns.

2. Think about when you were a teenager

Following the line of the previous point, remember what you were like when you were a teenager. To understand your child, it is good that you put yourself in his shoes and think about yourself at his age. Maybe you weren’t the same, but you weren’t perfect either. The need for independence, the desire to explore the search for identity… are characteristic behaviors of this age that can generate family conflicts.

3. Respect their needs

It’s easy to think that just because you’re a parent, you can take an authoritarian stance over your child. However, it is always better to listen to his needs and reach agreements.

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This way, you can know where the boundaries are and allow them certain levels of independence without having to cross them. This alternative is much better than using dominance, which introduces another obstacle into the relationship and makes effective communication difficult.

4. Let him make his own mistakes

Experience can be a good way to learn, because the impact it has on us can positively mark us if we know how to analyze the situation and develop resources to avoid making mistakes again. Don’t be an overly protective parent. To the extent possible, and As long as there is no great risk to your child, let him experiment

5. Communicate with him or her

One of the biggest mistakes parents can make is adopting a position of superiority and domination over their children. Because, as in any interpersonal relationship, communication is always more effective. If your child feels respected, loved, and communication flows, he will find in you the support he needs to grow as a person.

6. Listen actively

This point is closely related to the previous one, and because it improves communication. It is not about hearing what he says, but about listening to him both in his verbal and non-verbal language. If you remember your time as a teenager, you will know that it was not easy. Now is the time to be by your child’s side Ultimately, one of the reasons why many teenage sons and daughters underestimate the possibility of talking to their parents is that the latter supposedly do not understand them, and not actively listening confirms this prejudice.

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How to behave in front of a rebellious teenager?

Some parents, those with rebellious children, can have a really hard time with how their child behaves. They are questioning, angry young people who often do not respect the rules and may come to see parents as enemies.

Many parents in this situation do not know how to react and what they should do in the daily situations they experience. Despite not being guilty, they can find themselves in complex and painful contexts. It is not easy to manage this situation.

If you feel identified with these lines, in the article “Rebellious teenagers: 6 tips and reflections for parents in trouble” you can learn more about how to deal with this situation.