If you're like many parents, ensuring that your adolescent makes the transition from teenager to adult is very important. Because adolescence can be a very complicated and confusing era in your child's life, it is important that you provide him or her with the guidance and attention that can ensure that he or she becomes a productive and positive adult. To accomplish this objective, consider implementing the following strategies:
1. Emphasize Health
Although you may think that your child's health is unrelated to how successful and happy she or he will be, nothing could be further from the truth. Moreover, emphasizing the importance of health while your teenagers are still at a young age can help facilitate the formation of and adherence to great habits that will ensure that they maintain wellness throughout life. Innumerable research studies have demonstrated the role that things like exercise and eating well can play in increasing self-confidence and combating depression, so make sure your adolescent's plate is full of fruit and veggies while emphasizing the importance of daily physical activity.
2. Keep The Conversations Coming
As your children grow, they are going to receive mixed messages as well as contradictory information regarding important matters such as sex, drugs, dating and relationships. Since adolescents are constantly being bombarded with these potentially problematic messages, it is important that they understand that they can come and talk to you-at any time. To facilitate this type of open and on-going relationship with your child, psychotherapists from Burlingame say you should make it a point to spend at least an hour a week asking them about their evolving beliefs, values, and activities.
3. Offer Unconditional Love
At some point, your adolescent will probably make an unwise decision that entails personal pain and/or harms other people emotionally. When these types of things happen, it is important that you show your adolescent that you still love him or her. If your child does not receive this type of unconditional love, she or he can experience lower self-esteem.
4. Emphasize Self-Empowerment And Individuality
Oftentimes, adolescence is a time during which your child can be extremely influenced by the actions and attitudes of peers. And while it may be natural for your children to want to participate in social functions and be like their friends, it is still important that they recognize themselves as individuals who can set and accomplish goals and reach for their dreams. Emphasize these types of values and you will likely get good results.
5. Be A Role Model
Because adolescence can be a confusing era, your child will often look to you as a model for the type of behavior that she or he should emulate. Since this is the case, it is important that you be a good role model by continually striving to act in a loving, ethical manner when dealing with yourself and other people.
6. Relax And Have Fun
Although your child's adolescence can be a complicated and difficult period, you don't have to walk on eggshells all day. Take the time to relax and enjoy life with your child by doing things like going on camping trips and celebrating birthdays together.
While adolescence is oftentimes a confusing era for your child, you can provide him or her with the guidance necessary to help instill good values and a productive, positive way of living. In so doing, you will likely garner the respect and love of your children while molding them into healthy, happy adults. Good luck!