Cultivate Positive Behavior in Your Teenagers

So, why is an article on teenagers showing on a website for seniors?  For a very good reason, I believe.  Many teenagers in schools where Dianne and I taught, were being raised by grandparents.  It’s a challenging task for younger people, much more for seniors.

There are many reasons for this unfortunate reality.  

1) Both parents are working to support the family and so, are unable to spend time at home with the kids.

2) Both parents are non-functional and unable to care for their kids.

3) A single parent is financially strapped working multiple jobs

Teens are complicated. They can be moody, have impulsive tendencies, and constantly search for meaning. Many are also notorious for their lousy listening habits, which is just one of the many reasons why effective communication is so difficult.

Everyone can agree that parenting is one of the most challenging jobs. There's no textbook or manual out there to make things easier.

Amidst the difficulty of parenting and the turbulent nature of teens, how can you encourage positive behavior?

Here's Some Suggestions

1. Bring the family closer by spending quality time together. There's no better way to promote positive behavior than to tear down the barriers between family members, especially when it comes to communication.

● When everyone is more comfortable in each other's presence, teens will naturally want to be around them. And they will cultivate a positive attitude as a result.

● What can you do? Take the family out to dinners. Organize an outing for the family. Get creative by playing board games together. Make participation non-negotiable.

Encourage your teenager to find a service job.  Maybe like a fast-food restaurant.  In today’s environment, many businesses are looking for dependable workers.  Maybe you teenager could keep all or part of their earnings for themselves.

● Whatever job they pick, please encourage them to ask friends or their parents for help to improve. Teens can learn a lot from service industry jobs. For example, they can learn the value of customer service, hard work, and good conduct.

● These lessons can help them deal with daily tasks and relationships in the future.

3. Listen. Teens often feel that their parents aren't listening to them, and they're constantly trying to prove a point. Why not change this?

● Make it a point to listen and be interested in what they say. This action may whet their appetite for communication, leading them to share more information about their lives.

● Enthusiasm is contagious. You’ll see the common ground you share with your teen's interests, and your conversations will open up from there.

4. Take your teen seriously. Teens are known for their independent thinking. Some teens can also be willful at times. However, this does not mean that you treat them differently or ignore them whenever they have an opinion.

● Despite their "difficult" behaviors and antics, give them your undivided attention whenever they have something serious to say. Remember that the things they say and do are symptoms of the issues they're facing at the moment.

● You may not have all the answers, but you can certainly encourage them to find solutions independently.

5. Take time to have fun together. Parents who build fun activities into the day keep their teenagers and themselves happy. Joining a club or an extracurricular activity is a great way to add fun to your parenting.

● Team sports and activities that require social interaction make for a good time, mainly because teens can get to know other kids in the neighborhood.

● We have so many things that can cause worry. But when you look back years from today, you won't remember the hard times as much as the fun memories we created with the people we love.

Each year, the world becomes more complicated and challenging for kids to navigate. Fear not! Your relationship with your child can't get broken by hardship. And it's worth every minute of your time trying to understand them, or at least lending an ear.

Remember to practice a healthy lifestyle. When either you or your teen gets less sleep each night or follows a poor diet, it increases mood swings and negative attitudes.

Each of us is unique, so parenting styles have to be adjusted to fit our children's needs. Guiding them towards positive behaviors is a continuous process that may take time. But it can be gratifying when you see the results!

Sure, it’s tough, but you can do this!

Please share your thoughts and any response you may have in the form below.

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