Years can quickly go by and before you know it, your baby child will no longer be the vulnerable adolescent that you once had to take care of. As soon as your child hits their teenage years, they’ll become more rebellious and distant which can make it hard for you to maintain the bond that you previously had. So to help you out, here are 25 ways to stay connected with your teen and help you preserve that relationship.
- Understand that teens do need their own space and that becoming more independent can only be a good thing.
- Focus on doing things together without forcing it by making them dedicate time. For instance, spend more time eating dinner together at home or offer to drive them to and from places, but don’t force them to go shopping with you.
- Create a family interest. This could be in a specific TV series, musician or even a hobby that you both share.
- Do what your teen does. If they pick up a new hobby, then learn a little about it and get interested in it, or listen to similar music that they do and try to understand why they enjoy it.
- Accept your teen’s interests and don’t try to convince them to stray away from something they enjoy like video games or a musician.
- Keep up the humor. A laid-back approach to parenting is always appreciated if you want to bond with your child, so try not to take everything so seriously all the time.
- Show interest in their day. When they come back from school or a friend’s place, talk about their day and show interest in what they do.
- Be there for your teen when they’re going through tough times at school or with their relationships. Be open to listen and try not to give your opinion all the time.
- Help them with homework, even if it’s something simple or straightforward. Don’t just give them answers, but try to tutor them on how to find the solution so you can spend more time together.
- Develop your family ritual. Whether it’s movie night every other Friday or burger night every Monday, create a ritual that involves your kids.
- Accept their friends; allow your teen to bring them home or visit them and treat them with respect just like your child does.
- Give your teen space. Don’t be overbearing with everything or else your child will feel the need to distance themselves for privacy.
- Speak wisely and choose your words carefully. Children are very easily influenced so watch your words when speaking to them.
- Get them involved with chores around the house whether it’s cooking or spring cleaning.
- Have your teen’s back no matter what. Be their personal cheerleader! However, you shouldn’t blindly do this as occasionally scolding your child to keep them in check helps you teach them better life habits.
- Stay up to date with technologies that your teen uses such as smartphones and social media. This helps to create more talking points but also makes you understand your teen’s world a little better.
- Listen to your child when they have problems and don’t just give solutions. Instead, nudge them in the right direction and help them solve their own issues.
- Be patient with your kids. Sometimes they just need a bit of space or time on their own, so don’t force anything.
- Be as down-to-earth with them as possible and don’t sugarcoat anything or speak in riddles. Be blunt when necessary and be honest when interacting with your child.
- Make yourself available and drop everything when your teen needs someone to speak to.
- Don’t try to change your teen. Instead, consider changing yourself to be more accepting of who they are or try to learn more about the decisions they’re making in life.
- If your teen says something to upset you, don’t take it personally and understand that they might have trouble controlling their emotions.
- Value interactions with your child over everything and give them priority over your friends and other relatives when possible.
- Don’t force your way into your teen’s life. Instead, sit back and let it gradually happen by being there for them at all times.
- Show your appreciation for them. A simple “love you” or “good night” can go a long way, and a “thank you” is always good when they help you with something.