Teenagers
Age 16-18 years
Here’s where you get fired as the boss. If you've done a good enough job you get rehired as a trusted friend and advisor. If you continue to do a good job, your teen may well even take your advice.
It's appropriate for your teen to want to make her own decisions now, and to think for herself. And yet teens are still developing, and have widely varying levels of maturity. It can be a scary time for parents, especially those who don't yet trust their teen's judgment.
The most effective parenting strategy with teens is to focus on the relationship. Punishments just drive your teen away and make it less likely that you'll have the information about what's going on in his life that you need to be a good parent. The only leverage you really have with your teen is love.
It's appropriate for teens to be oriented more to their peers than their parents now, but kids who are well grounded in their families will respond well to parents' efforts to stay connected. And parents who have bonded adequately with their children at each earlier stage will feel invested enough in their teens to stay connected, even if a lot of effort is required.
Start Here:
Game Plan for Peaceful Parenting Your Teen
Peaceful parenting a teenager? A terrific teen who's responsible, considerate, shows good judgment, at least most of the time? Yes, it is possible! Here's your gameplan, with 12 essential tips.
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Staying Connected to Your Teen
"We need to rethink the old metaphor of separating from our teens and replace it with the concept of extension. That is, during adolescence, teenagers need to extend away from their parents, all the while staying connected to their parents. Their job is to extend; your job is to connect." - Michael Riera
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30 Ways To Stay Connected With Your Teen
Parents of teenagers frequently tell me that they no longer know how to connect with their children. Here are 30 ways to build trust, understanding, appreciation and affection with your teen!
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Eight Discussions To Have with Your Teen Before College
If your child is leaving for college soon, you're probably both busy with shopping lists and health forms. You might well find yourself fighting about things that don't matter, because the enormity of letting go of your child and wondering if he's ready can make parents terribly anxious.
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Letting Go When Your Teen Heads for College
"We need to rethink the old metaphor of separating from our teens and replace it with the concept of extension. That is, during adolescence, teenagers need to extend away from their parents, all the while staying connected to their parents. Their job is to extend; your job is to connect."
-Michael Riera
Best Books on Parenting Teens
PLEASE NOTE: These books are Amazon links with photos of the books. If you are not seeing them on your page, it may be that your browser is not picking them up. Please try a different browser.
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