HOME

BOOKMARK

NEWSLETTER

Join our newsletter to receive news of offers and discounts

Search

AS FEATURED IN...


Lucy Siegle On Eithical Living: Sunday March 5, 2006 The Observer

Weight Watchers®.co.uk. Now with an online plan.

Navigation


Parening Books

Search Now:
Amazon Logo


The Parent Teen Relationship: How Effective is Yours?


It was the homework that did it. Each night became a challenge in how I was going to get my son, a non-academic, to do his homework. I tried patience, encouragement, and teaching, all to no avail. I moved on to bribery, threats and punishment, still no success. Finally I tried anger, frustration and tears, but still no joy. At the end of my tether I knew it was time for a change.

Looking back on my behaviour I could see how I had changed from a calm, encouraging parent into a demanding, controlling tyrant. This was a true wake up call; I could not believe I had turned into the very thing I hated to see in others. I asked myself, "what is more important, homework or the relationship with my son?"

The parenting relationship is a tricky one; one that needs to continue to evolve over time. It is made doubly tricky by the fact that the child uses this relationship as a role model for future relationships. As a child they see that adults have the control and power in a relationship; as they grow into adolescents they want this control and power for themselves. No wonder there are so many battles between parents and teens.

However, the desire for control and power is also reflected between the teenagers themselves. Mixed with the self-centeredness left over from childhood and the need to belong, a potent mix is created; otherwise known as peer pressure. This pressure can take many forms, from daring someone to do something that you haven't got the courage to do, to manipulating someone to give you what you want. Standing up to this pressure, particularly from their close friends can be difficult,

Teenagers need to learn how to get their needs met but without resorting to using control, power or manipulation. Just as importantly they need to learn how to resist pressure from others. If parents can change the relationship they have with their teen so that each other's needs are dealt with using respect, understanding and appreciation, then teens can experiment and realise the benefits of such a relationship.

Fortunately, the tools required for such a relationship can be easily taught, although putting them into practice will take a little more effort. Just telling teens what to do rarely works so parents will need to initiate the change and use the tools with their teen. Once your relationship has changed with your teen, you will both be in a better position to tackle the other relationships in your teen's life.

How to Improve Your Relationship With Your Teen

  • Listen to their point of view. Put yourself in their shoes and see the world through their eyes. Ask them how it makes them feel.
  • Understand what makes them tick. Look for the differences between you and them and then learn more about them.
  • Accept them for who they are. Differentiate between them as a person and their behaviour. Ask for behaviour to change but accept them as they are.
  • Acknowledge their presence. Look for what they do that's positive and verbalise your appreciation. Appreciate what they don't do as well as what they do.
  • Give them space. Teens need privacy, not just in their bedrooms but also in their thoughts. Avoid interrogation techniques and opt for genuine interest.

    Carol Shepley has been involved with teenagers for over 10 years and, as the parent of a teen herself, fully understands the pressures placed on parents and teens today. She now shares this knowledge and experience through her website http://www.howtohelpteens.com so that parents can help their teens become resilient, resourceful and responsible adults. Now offering a fun quiz so you can rate you listening skills.


    MORE RESOURCES:

    KNWA

    Jardine, Regulators Expand Baby-Crib Recall
    Wall Street Journal - 12 hours ago
    The cribs in the original recall were sold at various stores nationwide, including KidsWorld, Toys "R" Us, Babies "R" Us and Geoffrey Stores. ...
    More China-Made Baby Cribs Recalled AHN
    Baby Cribs Recalled Due To Strangulation Danger WHIOtv.com
    Jardine Expands Recall of Cribs Sold at Babies 'R' Us Consumer Affairs
    The Associated Press - WMUR
    all 84 news articles


    BBC News

    Baby dies as bug strikes hospital
    BBC News, UK - 10 hours ago
    A baby has died and six others are in an isolation ward after an infection struck at the neo-natal unit of a Birmingham hospital. ...
    Neonatal ward sealed off after baby dies Times Online
    Deadly bug kills baby and puts seven more in isolation in hospital Telegraph.co.uk
    Baby dies in hospital bug outbreak The Press Association
    The Birmingham Post - EditoWeb Magazine
    all 149 news articles


    Police found body of baby in trash
    Seattle Post Intelligencer - Jan 5, 2009
    Authorities combing through 60 tons of trash, searching for the body of a baby allegedly dumped by his 16-year-old mother, found a dead infant in the ...


    TopNews

    Long leave helps baby's health and mom's
    The Oregonian - OregonLive.com, OR - 5 hours ago
    Taking many months of maternity leave improves the health of working women and their babies, two new studies report. But the authors say such leaves are ...
    Maternity Leave Good for Mother and Baby MedPage Today
    Long maternity leaves increase breastfeeding Times of India
    Longer leaves, better health The Oregonian - OregonLive.com
    all 28 news articles


    ABC News

    HORROR: Dead Baby Thrown In NJ Hospital Garbage
    WCBS-TV New York, NY - Jan 5, 2009
    Read more in our Privacy Policy A shocking story came out of Jersey City on Monday night: the remains of a baby were thrown out in a hospital's trash. ...
    Video: Baby's Corpse Thrown Out With Hospital's Trash AssociatedPress
    Hospital throws a babies body in trash ShortNews.com
    all 326 news articles


    Kids alone for days, parents dead in locked room
    The Associated Press - Jan 5, 2009
    "How could they leave the babies?" asked neighbor Ashley Barker. "If something was going on, an argument, why didn't they send them to the neighbors? ...


    Sisters close out '08, ring in '09 with babies at West Valley Hospital
    Arizona Republic, AZ - 9 hours ago
    But the Southwest Valley's first baby of 2009 was born at Banner Estrella Medical Center in southwest Phoenix. Alexander Camacho was born at 12:47 am New ...


    Briefs | Fatal wreck, arson fire, babies injured
    Kansas City Star, MO - 22 hours ago
    Babies injured in two cases A 37-year-old man has been charged in connection with injuring a 2 1/2 -month-old girl and her mother Sunday in Kansas City, ...


    Times Online

    As Babies Are Being Slaughtered, Where Are The Western Human ...
    Turkish Press, MI - 15 hours ago
    If the slaughter of civilians, babies and the elderly in Gaza is just being watched today, then no world statesman has any right to talk about democracy and ...
    Video: Israeli attack on Gaza school kills 30 RussiaToday
    Guest Columnist: Hamas' war against children Seattle Post Intelligencer
    Two Wounded in Mortar Attack Arutz Sheva
    Irish Times - Periódico 26
    all 36,952 news articles


    E! Online

    Hollywood Baby Roundup: January 6, 2009
    VIP Breakdown, WA - 5 hours ago
    Rebecca Romijn: Despite being pregnant with twins, Romijn was able to deliver her babies without being noticed. The Ugly Betty star and her husband, ...
    Baby Photos: Rebecca Romijn Hubby Jerry O'Connell Shows Off Twins ... National Ledger
    Rebecca Romijn Gives Birth To Twin Baby Girls E Canada Now
    Rebecca Romijn and Jerry O'Connell Have Babies LimeLife
    Celebrity Baby Blog - RTE.ie
    all 420 news articles

    babies - Google News