6 Life Lessons for your Teenager

 

 

 

Raising teenagers is not for the faint of heart. It is a huge responsibility, so it is no wonder parents feel so much pressure to do it right. There has been no proven successful way to be a parent, but the following are a few life lessons that will better prepare your teen for adulthood and just being an overall good person.

 

Responsibility- All teenagers want more freedom, but instead are often met with more restriction due to lack of responsibility. Teenagers want to be classified as adults yet still have an underdeveloped brain. It’s no wonder it’s a struggle for parents and teens to navigate this time. In order for teens to learn responsibility they have to have opportunities to be responsible. They need to be in control of some aspects of their lives. Many children and teens request pets as an opportunity to prove how responsible they are. If pets are not your thing, there are many other opportunities to be had. Something as small as household chores can develop great habits of dependability. It’s not a bad idea to at least occasionally allow for a larger responsibility such as starting and running a lawn care business. This could also lead to teaching responsibility with money and finances.

 

Respect- Differing opinions are okay. People who look different than you are okay. Have compassion, be understanding. The best way for your kids to learn respect is by example. Parents need to be respectful of their teenagers just as they are respectful to those of different religions, political parties and races. Entitlement is a detriment to respect. When someone feels like they are above or better than or entitled to any specific thing or person they will not exhibit a fair amount of respect. Respect is hugely lacking in our society today and we are starting to see the detrimental effects of that. We have a lot of power as parents in how we raise the upcoming generation.

 

Safety-Teenagers often feel like their life is made up of rules and more rules. However, as parents, we know that these rules are all about safety. Some rules are not rules that we as parents are even in charge of. If they get caught speeding, they will get a ticket. If they get caught texting and driving, they will get a ticket. Teenagers and car safety is of large concern because they are new to driving, easily distracted, and do not have the experience or maturity to handle some difficult driving situations. If your teen is injured in a car accident, you can have many of your questions answered by Benton & Benton law. They are a Monroe, Georgia car accident lawyer.

 

Honesty- Honest people are becoming more rare and more valuable all the time. Turns out there really is no magic truth serum. Being honest will foster trust between you and your child, and will be the foundation of all their future relationships in life. When your teenager can be honest with you, they will likely have more freedoms in regards to what things they are allowed to do. Being honest is a key to unlock the life that every teenager thinks that they want and thinks that they deserve. Sometimes it is hard as a parent to not overreact when we find out our teenager lied or when they tell the truth and it’s less than pleasant news. However, honesty on some level should always be met with positivity. As a parent it is better to know the ugly truth than to foster an environment of pretty lies.

 

Navigating Conflict- The fact is, if you are living your life correctly you will encounter conflict. It is an inevitable part of being human. As a teenager, your child should know how to handle and be prepared for these types of situations. Those who do not handle conflict well do not typically go very far in life. People that can navigate conflict gracefully make better employees and better leadership. Even right now as they deal with friends and teachers they will most likely be faced with some level of conflict.

 

Forgiveness- Forgiveness is hard for most adults, let alone teens. The more life experience these kids get, the more they will need to understand the importance of forgiving others when they have wronged us and asking humbly for forgiveness when they are in the wrong. Luckily we as parents make mistakes all the time, so our teens will have many chances to learn forgiveness within a family setting. Like most things discussed in this article, these principles are best taught by example. Most life lessons are learned in the home.

 

Don’t worry if you feel like you’re failing. Most likely that means you are doing it right. Be patient with your teen and hopefully they will learn to be patient with you. Trying to teach life lessons and having open conversations about these character traits in your home will not have been in vain.