Raising Teenagers: 10 Useful Parenting Tips

Does it feel like you are fighting a war when raising a teenager? You are not alone. Many parents feel this way. In this article, we will show you viable teenage parenting tips.

When a baby is born, it’s met with joy and happiness. As the baby grows and develops, parents relish every milestone, keeping every detail for friends, family, and visitors to gaze at. Witnessing every stage of a child is great, but no one ever imagined how overwhelming teenage parenting can be. 

According to a 2017 study, adolescent mothers experience mental, physical, psychological, and social difficulties while raising their children. One may wonder the reason for the unique challenge of raising teens. The answer is simple, but it is best to approach it from the definition of a teenager or adolescent.

The World Health Organisation defines an adolescent as anyone between ages 10 and 19. To support this, Stanford Children’s Health believes the teenage years are a time for growth spurts and puberty changes (sexual maturation).

Indeed, adolescence is a transitional phase of physical and psychological development that generally occurs from puberty to adulthood. 

The WHO states that adolescents experience rapid physical, cognitive, and psychosocial growth, which affects how they feel, think, make decisions, and interact with the world around them. They feel like they don’t need their parents’ help anymore and want to explore the world around them indiscriminately.

Parenting a teenager is especially difficult because you are only looking out for them and trying to help them succeed, yet they are rebellious and stubborn. Everything you do annoys them; they feel you don’t want them to be free.

This behavior frustrates many parents and shocks others who thought raising teens or healthy teenagers was a walk in the park. For years, these parents have been searching for advice for parents of teenagers, how to parent teenagers, or how to handle teenagers. 

While there have been many parenting tips, only a few have been helpful. Suppose you are parents of an adolescent looking for solutions. In that case, we have a list of parenting tips on raising teenagers and advice for raising teens today.

Learn how to raise the self-confidence and self-esteem of your children in this video:

10 parenting tips on how to deal with teenagers

Parenting or raising teenagers is one of the most demanding jobs in the world where you don’t get paid. The teenage years are a time of significant changes and growth spurt, both physically and emotionally. 

As a parent, it is crucial to know how to handle teenagers so that they are morally upright. Here are ten parenting teenager tips and how to deal with teenagers.

1. Communicate effectively

One way of raising healthy teenagers is to communicate well. Communication is the key to resolving any problem, especially when raising teenage girls. 

As a parent, create a safe space for open, honest dialogue with your teenagers. That way, they feel comfortable talking about anything. Also, encourage them to express their feelings and opinions freely without fear.

Related Reading: 10 Effective Communication Skills in Relationships

2. Set rules for teenagers

Sadly, you won’t be your children’s friend during adolescence, but it’s for their good. A piece of advice for parents of teenagers is to list out some rules and give tangible reasons why you have them. 

For example, tell them they can’t stay out late because it’s risky. Also, ensure you inform them there will be consequences if they break any rules.

3. Set clear boundaries

How to raise a successful teenager? It’s best to set clear boundaries. Teenagers need boundaries to feel secure and safe. This may involve saying no to requests or unreasonable demands. Also, it can include limiting your children’s access to gadgets or TV when they should be working on their homework.

4. Be consistent

To know how to raise a teenager successfully, you must be consistent and firm. The rules and boundaries you set must stand at all times. No matter what happens, you shouldn’t change them. When teenagers know that expectations, consequences, and rewards are static, they behave right.

5. Show empathy

Although it’s hard on you as a parent not to know how to raise a teenager, know that it’s equally challenging for your child that he’s not being heard or understood. Therefore, as an adult, you should show compassion towards your children to build a strong relationship with them.

Related Reading: How to Build Empathy in Relationships

6. Spend time with them

Parents, most often, juggle their careers, parents, responsibilities, and running a home together, giving them little to no time to spend with their teenagers. 

Since the adolescence stage is when most children discover a lot about themselves, you should strive to spend quality time with them. That way, they can confide in you.

7. Give them the independence they deserve

Give your teenagers space to grow, fly their wings, explore the world, take responsibility, make mistakes, and learn from them.

8. Don’t compare them

One of the best parenting tips for teenage parents is to avoid comparing other kids with their teenagers. This behavior will make your children more rebellious and destroy their self-esteem. 

Understand that every child is unique, and your job as the parent is to help your child be the best version of themselves.

9. Don’t yell at them

Yelling at anyone has never yielded any positive result. If your goal in raising teenagers is to make them listen, choose a calm way to discuss with your teenager.

10. Seek help

As parents of teenagers, if you’ve tried everything to raise them right, and nothing is working, it’s best to seek professional help. This may include couples counseling for the parents, or therapy for the teenager, or the family.

5 major challenges you face while raising teenagers

Raising teenagers is challenging for parents. Here are five common challenges in raising teenagers:

1. Communication

Teenagers need help to express themselves effectively on some topics. On the other hand, the parents may not understand their needs and feelings.

2. Independence

Teenagers crave freedom, especially when they see their mates trying some things. Therefore, they start to push boundaries, which can lead to conflicts with parents who want to keep them safe.

Related Reading: 15 Ways of Being Independent in a Relationship

3. Peer Pressure

Teenagers are constantly influenced by their peers, and parents may find it frustrating to navigate the influence of peer pressure on their behavior and decisions.

4. Technology

We are in a technological-driven world that has become integral to teenagers’ lives. Monitoring your children’s online activities and ensuring they are using technology safely are two jobs many parents dislike.

5. Mental Health

Teenagers may face mental health issues like anxiety, depression, and substance abuse. Unfortunately, many parents might not identify these issues in time to provide the necessary support and resources to help their teenagers cope.

How to deal with challenges associated with raising teenagers

To deal with the problems associated with teenage parenting, encourage open and honest communication, listen without judgment, express empathy, find a balance between allowing freedom and setting boundaries, and discuss expectations and consequences.

One of the best pieces of advice for teenagers is to encourage positive peer relationships. Also, guide them in making good decisions, educate them about the risks of technology, and provide a supportive and understanding environment whenever they have concerns.

Raising happy and healthy teenagers

Dealing with teenagers can be taxing, but it can also be rewarding with the right approach. Many parents struggle with raising teenagers without turning them into their foes. Thankfully, this article highlights some tips for parenting teens. 

These include effective communication, clear boundaries, consistency, empathy, independence, and seeking professional help are some ways to raise teenagers appropriately.