Living with teenagers can be difficult most of the time, because it is a stage of many changes on a physical, emotional and psychological level.
Now, there are a series of guidelines and advice to make living with a teenager successful and beneficial for both parties Let’s look at the most important ones.
Relationship problems, outbursts, recurring conflicts, poor harmony… If you want to know what are the most efficient tips for living with a teenager, keep reading.
1. Respect your privacy
Adolescence is a stage of self-affirmation in which the individual begins to claim a series of rights that during childhood were not part of their priorities.
One of these essential rights for the natural development of the person is the right to intimacy and privacy, which is why During adolescence it is advisable to give the young person more private spaces without interfering too much in their affairs.
Some of the most common ways to respect their privacy may be: not entering their room in their absence, knocking on their door before entering, trying not to ask in an inquisitive tone about their friends (unless they want to share it), and not excessively control your daily activities if there are no signs that they compromise your physical or mental health.
2. Be interested in your hobbies
Showing genuine interest in your teen’s new hobbies can be another way to establish a positive relationship with that person and also to encourage them to have adequate emotional development and healthy socialization at the family level.
In addition to that, adolescents often need external approval from friends and family about their interests, skills or hobbies and seeing that these are recognized and appreciated is also of great importance for the construction of their personality.
3. Meet your needs
Family emotional support is essential during any stage of growth, and even more so during adolescence since it is a period of great emotional imbalances for the person.
Being aware of the daily difficulties that the adolescent may have, whether on an emotional, relational or physical level, is a good way to help and guide them in a period of great uncertainty and disorientation such as adolescence.
Some of the problems that can arise in the life of a teenager may be eating disorders, bullying, school difficulties of all kinds or academic failure.
4. Share time together
The same way, To attend to the daily needs of the adolescent it is also necessary to spend time with him which also helps us to know your personal concerns and hobbies.
Although sometimes it may seem that they seek isolation from their family, adolescents also need to spend time with their families, to share their daily lives and ask for help if needed.
5. Avoid excessive bans
An educational model with too many prohibitions or restrictions can end up resulting in an overly rebellious adolescent who ends up not respecting any type of authority.
That is why It is necessary to be permissive regarding, for example, the use of the Internet and social networks, since they are part of their main socialization channels and communication with people his age and without whom he could feel isolated from the world around him.
Individual freedom is another essential element for correct socialization with the environment in the adolescent stage and feeling that there is sufficient room for maneuver to carry out leisure or even creative activities will encourage there to be a good harmony between people of different generations
As with privacy, there are also some ways to respect the personal freedom of the adolescent and some of them may be: letting him have freedom to decorate his room, to dress as he wants, leaving some room for maneuver in arrival times at home and not control their friends.
Economic freedom is also necessary, so it is often also positive that the adolescent can have some money for personal expenses or to develop his or her own hobbies and activities.
7. Respect their opinion
Respect is essential for the proper functioning of any interpersonal relationship and most teenagers also need to see that their opinion is respected, even if it does not coincide with that of their parents.
The usual trend in adolescence is the questioning of certain culturally rooted beliefs accepted by previous generations, and parents do not always understand that they are no longer the main reference point for their children (probably other young people their age are), which is why which During this stage, arguments and conflicts easily occur
That is why although we follow an educational model based on discipline, it is also necessary to show respect towards the ideas, positions or approaches that you may have on any topic, in this way we will contribute positively to your personality construction. Even if we believe that adolescents are wrong, it is necessary to be able to confront ideas with respect.
Related article: “Educational styles: ineffective parenting beliefs and behaviors”
While the teenager is growing up You usually go through many ups and downs regarding your self-esteem and mental stability ; That is why it is recommended to avoid comparisons with other young people your age.
Feeling inferior to other classmates or believing that their family does not value them enough can be a hard blow to the adolescent’s self-esteem, their socialization, and their mental health in general.
You may be interested: “Do you really know what self-esteem is?”
9. Treat him by accepting his progress in psychological maturation
For the adolescent to feel respected, loved and valued, we should not treat him or her like a child Keeping in mind that you are almost an adult is something that will significantly benefit your self-esteem and your adult personality configuration process.
Taking their opinion into account, apologizing whenever we may offend them, not lying to them or hiding anything from them can be a good way to start treating the teenager as a responsible person with the capacity to make reasonable decisions.
10. Praise their qualities
Another good way to contribute to the positive development of adolescents, both emotionally and socially, is by praising their qualities, appreciating their achievements and rewarding their efforts whenever necessary
Adolescents tend to have an unrealistic perception of themselves and tend to be overly critical of themselves, which is why external support and approval can be of great help to them.
