5 most common mistakes parents make with teenagers

Your little baby is not really a baby anymore. He’s a teenager now, an even though you want to hold him close and never let go, probably the last thing he wants now is for you to hug him and kiss him…at least on public sight! Lots has changed. Not only for your child but for you too.

Even though they are constantly testing your limits and your patience, they still need you. However, in a different way that they did when they were little.  To make sure your good efforts don’t backfire, you might need to make some changes at your parenting skills.

Here are 5 mistakes most parents make when parenting a teen:

1.  The need to “fix” everything that goes wrong, rather than allowing teens to grow by “fixing” their own mistakes.

2.  A fear of what others might think which makes “looking good” more important than finding out what’s best for your children and for yourself.

3.  A need to protect children from all pain, which also protects them from learning and growing into capable adults by learning they can survive the pain and learn from it.

4.  A fear of anger, which means giving up, giving in, or doing whatever it takes to avoid the wrath of your children. This teaches teenagers that anger is bad and should be avoided or that it can be used to manipulate others instead of showing that anger is a valid feeling and can be handled appropriately. 

5.  A believe that you are selfish if you aren’t self-sacrificing, which means that you are never allowed to enjoy yourself. Finding your own balance between doing things for yourself and doing things for your children will help you focus on what’s important and your kids will learn from your actions.

As parents, we know we are responsible for our kids and we want them to be happy and safe all the time. If it was up to us, we would eliminate any pain, frustration and failure from their lives. But that won’t do them any good. We need to step back a little bit and let them live whatever they need to live and learn from their actions. Just make sure they know you are always there for them when they need you.

Take time during you day/week, to spend with your teenager.  They might not tell you that often, but they want and need to spend time with you.

Have a great rest of the week, and enjoy your children as much as you can!

Carolina