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Step 1
Teaching kids respect, responsibility and giving them lots of love is challenging when there are so many parents working 10 to 12 hour days trying to survive. Many teens these days lack the respect their elders were taught. What happened to “please” and “thank you”? Are they missing at home? Respect your teen, and you’ll get it back.
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Step 2
Utilize home time wisely. Communication is key in any household. Keep the lines of communication open during dinner, chores and family outings. Make sure everyone is on the same page, and all are involved in family decisions. Family meetings at the dinner table or the living room work great for regular, daily communication. If you are talking to your teen, they are talking to you.
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Step 3
Responsibility is difficult to teach to some teenagers. If you are having difficulties in this area, give your teen a list of chores that are his responsibility to complete every week. Reward them for a job well done, like a trip to the ice cream shop, a movie, a sleepover, etc.
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Step 4
Positive interaction and influence is also a key element to being a parent of a teenager. Keeping the entire home a positive environment will strengthen all the relationships in the house. We all have our moments of anger, despair, sadness and regret, but try to turn those moments into positive ones by counting to 10, talking, creating a moment to yourself, apologizing and rewarding.
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Step 5
Help your Teenager set goals for themselves. Help them discover their talents, be it in sports, music, literature or science. Get involved in their discovery by encouraging and supporting their efforts. The more involved you are in their lives, the more likely they are to be involved in their children’s lives.
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Step 6
Love your teenagers! They are never too big for hugs and kisses! Give your teen(s) as many hugs as you can.
