Raising Your Teens Without Tearing Your Hair Out

The media has had a hand in sensationalizing the challenges of raising a teenage child. In reality, it’s quite easy to manage your teenager especially if you employ the wisdom you would use when dealing with adults, coupled with a little child psychology. So don’t hesitate to employ some tried and tested communication and management techniques as needed.

Firstly, use some conflict resolution concepts. Never talk down to your teenager especially if they are being defensive. Give them the floor and listen to them attentively. Make them feel that your only desire is to resolve the problem and not to place blame or point fingers. 

Open their minds up to the idea of anger management and the importance of learning how to keep their anger in check. They have to be sold on the idea that nothing can be resolved by anger. Teach them how to re-channel the aggression to other worthwhile activities like some community work.

If the media got something right, it’s that teenagers hate to be ignored; they take this as a personal affront and react irrationally to it. The only way to deal with this is to listen intently and carefully frame your response in a manner that is non-threatening. Teenagers are just a few short years away from independence and autonomy; they need all the help they can get and definitely a lot from you.