The teenage years are the most happening period of a child’s life. It is a completely new phase and a completely new feeling. A lot of physical changes and hormonal changes take place, which eventually lead to a sense of identity and development
At this period, many teens are in a pool of emotions and self-identity. They battle with many things, and all they need is support, love, and understanding from their parents.
As parents, it’s probably very difficult dealing with a teen, but it’s not impossible.
Let’s look at 10 mistakes parents make with teens & tweens.
Invading their privacy
Many parents do not believe in giving even a little privacy to their child; many kids want to be alone and often ask for it but are always rejected. This will only force the teenagers to believe you do not trust them. But complete privacy is not good either. So you must see to it that you have a good balance on how much privacy to give when to give, and when not to give.
Unaware about teens generation.
Every generation is different; they all have their trends, their wants, their needs. As a parent, you need to understand your child’s world, stay updated on what is happening, and support your child in the right thing.
Talk more, listen less.
As a parent, we want the child to listen to us but do not care to listen to them. Sounds unfair, doesn’t it? If you want your child to listen, you have to listen to them. If you only talk and talk, the chances of him considering your words is null.
Doing all the things of the child.
Do not overdo it; many parents do everything for their child, all their work leaving the child forever dependent on them. Rather Make them independent and strong.
Comparing your kid with other children.
“He got better marks than you,”. How often do you do this? How often do you compare your child with other kids? Well, if you do, stop it. Not all animals can swim in the water, few climb trees while few run. Not all kids are the same. Instead, be supportive and always encourage.
Not showing respect.
Children learn from their parents. Teenagers are not only influenced by society but also by family members. If you don’t respect them or their feelings, they will only develop stubbornness towards you. Show respect and love even if you don’t agree with their wants and deny it with calmness.
Give time only according to your availability.
As a parent, we only give time to our kids when we are free. If you are never around and refuse to give them your time when they need you they grow apart. As a parent, you should maintain a balance between work life and parenting
Only criticizing
Many parents only see when their child is at default; they never appreciate or admire their excellent work. They only criticize when they are wrong; this leads them to lose interest in things they like doing.
Excluding them from family discussions.
Many parents believe that teenagers lack a sense of responsibility and understanding; they, therefore, do not find it necessary to include them in family matters and decisions. This makes the child feel less important and left out.
No rules or too many rules
Teenagers are a lot about exploring and learning, but that doesn’t mean there are no rules; this is the stage where they will make more mistakes and will probably regret them later on.
So setting rules is essential. But that doesn’t mean setting too many rules which are not flexible. You need to give your child space and time to develop. You cannot restrict him always.