5 Tips for a Happy Coexistence With Teenagers
When children are young, parents end up physically exhausted: Sleepless nights, constant supervision so they don’t hurt themselves, among other issues. While it’s true that, when they grow up, that bodily exhaustion ends, we face a more complex exhaustion: Mental fatigue. And trying to have a happy coexistence with teenagers can sometimes become complicated.
We all know that young people go through many changes during this stage, which can cause all of us to feel somewhat lost. For this reason, it’s important to maintain fluid communication with our children, based on trust and patience.
Below, we’ll give you some tips so that happy coexistence with teenagers stops being a utopia and becomes reality. Don’t miss them!
A happy coexistence with teenagers, is it possible?
Most parents fear the arrival of adolescence, either because they know what they’re dealing with or because they’ve heard horror stories from other parents. So, is it possible to have a happy coexistence with a teenage child? Sure, but you have to take into account certain aspects.
First, you need to establish communication based on trust and respect from childhood, with sufficiently clear limits and rules. Parenting styles are key in determining adolescent behavior.
Second, you need to take into account this series of useful tips to improve coexistence with your teenage children.
1. Encourage your teen to spend more time with the family
Your teenage son may spend most of the day locked in their room, and this is completely normal. However, don’t let that prevent you from motivating them to leave their room from time to time to explore the world.
It’s important that you give them the freedoms and tools they need to deal with adversity. Also, you need to let them make mistakes and let them know that they can count on your whenever they need to.
With this in mind, you can organize family activities to spend more time together. Just be sure to choose plans that your adolescent child likes. For example, planning a nature excursion, visiting a museum, or playing a game of tennis.
2. To pay or not to pay?
This doubt is very frequent among parents. However, whether you give your child money or not will depend on the rules and lifestyle of each family.
If you decide to give them money, the amount has to be in line with the economic level of your household. And whenever you establish an amount, you must start low, as it’s always easier to raise it than to lower it.
Whether you give them money or not, you need to take into account three issues in order to act correctly in this regard:
- Maintain your decision over time and don’t modify it according to your convenience.
- Introduce the young person to financial education in a gradual way so that, when the time comes to become independent, they know how to manage their money. If they learn to administer finances from now on, it’ll be easier for them as an adult.
- Know where they spend their money to keep them from using it on toxic substances or gambling, etc.
3. Use consequences instead of punishments
Threatening to ground teenagers is a very common practice in many homes. But is that the kind of education you want to provide your children?
If what you want is to modify a certain behavior, it’s best to resort to anticipation instead of opting for punishment. One way to do this is to explain ahead of time the consequences of misbehavior and the rewards of reaching certain goals.
4. Always respect their privacy
It’s likely that, when you give your children freedom, you’ll begin to experience certain fears. For example, you may be afraid that your child will get into trouble. But going through their phone, reading their diary, and rummaging through their drawers isn’t the solution. On the one hand, it worsens the relationship and, on the other, you’ll lose your teenager’s trust.
You mustn’t forget that, in this stage of so many changes, a relationship of mutual trust is key to maintaining a happy coexistence. So, let’s cultivate it.
5. Teach your children to have healthy fun
If your child spends every waking minute glued to a screen, you have the responsibility of guiding them and accompanying them so that they can have fun in another way. To do this, you can offer them alternatives, such as playing board games together, watching movies, or going on excursions.
Conclusion regarding how to have a happy coexistence with teenagers
Promoting a happy coexistence with teenagers isn’t impossible. You just have to learn to handle certain situations.
Education in the infant stage is also a determinant of the behavior of future adolescents. As we’ve already said, in this stage, trust plays a very important role and, thanks to this, your children will be able to tell you about their problems whenever they want.
If you maintain fluid communication with your adolescents, based on respect and trust, you can go through this stage in a more pleasant way.
All cited sources were thoroughly reviewed by our team to ensure their quality, reliability, currency, and validity. The bibliography of this article was considered reliable and of academic or scientific accuracy.
- Melgosa, J. (1997). Para adolescentes y padres. Editorial Safeliz.
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Oliva, A. (2006). Relaciones familiares y desarrollo adolescente. Anuario de psicología, 37(3), 209-223.
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Pérez Ramos, M., & Alvarado Martínez, C. (2015). Los estilos parentales: su relación en la negociación y el conflicto entre padres y adolescentes. Acta de investigación psicológica, 5(2), 1972-1983. Disponible en: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S200747191530017X