How to Accept How a Teen Dresses

It's inevitable that one day your teen will put on an outfit that you will find either shocking, in poor taste or just downright strange. While your parental instinct may compel you to intervene, it's important to respect and accept the way your teen dresses, since fashion is often an expression of who he is, or who he wants to be.

Instructions

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Respect and Accept Your Teen's Choice in Clothes

1. Observe how all the other kids dress by driving past your teen's school or by becoming involved in activities with your teen and her friends. Fashion among teenagers is very much a function of peer pressure, and most kids want to blend into the crowd and be accepted. By taking time to see how the other kids dress, your own teen's outfits may seem a lot less strange to you.
2. Stay informed and educated about the dress code at your teen's school. Most schools prohibit a wide variety of clothing, such as t-shirts with racy or offensive slogans or clothing that may be a bit too revealing. By helping your teen choose clothing that stays within these boundaries, you may save yourself an unexpected trip to the principal's office.
3. Accept how your teen dresses by being patient and weathering fashion trends that you may find in poor taste or against your own fashion sense. Trends in kid's clothing change frequently, and you might find the next fad to be a little more appealing.
4. Look beyond the way your teen dresses to find out if there are other concerns. Dressing outlandishly may indicate that your teen is unhappy or trying to get attention. It is important to recognize when a style of dress reflects undesirable behaviors, such as participation in a gang or seeking sexual attention.
5. Remember not to judge a book by its cover when it comes to accepting the way your teen and his friends dress. A teen who wears outrageous or strange clothing may actually be a sensitive and intelligent person who enjoys expressing individuality and non conformity. By the same token, a teen who wears tasteful, appropriate clothing may wind up being a bad influence on your child.

Tips & Warnings

• You will still need to exercise parental boundaries when it comes to accepting how your teen dresses. If you feel any clothing that your teen wears may be unacceptable in certain situations, such as going to a job interview, attending church or going on a date, it is your duty as a parent to object.