Show a New Family Connection To Your Teens!
Adolescence is the period when both the children and parents start spending maximum time separately. This happens partially because teenagers are keener on exploring the relationships with their friends and those who do not belong to their family. They usually tend to do this as the activities help them
- Understand their position as young adults in the world
- Develop a sense of being independent
- Work out self dependent beliefs and values
Even if the above statements are true and common in all the teenagers, it is extremely important to let your teenager have a strong relationship with you to keep them guided and offer a sense of security while they meet the errands of adolescence. Staying connected with teenage kids is of course not an easy task. It is all about developing closeness into a relationship by being responsive and available to the other person. Connecting can be both casual and planned.
Casual Connecting
To improve the proximity in any relationship, interaction on regular basis is very much important. Whenever your child is in a mood to talk to you regarding school, assignments, friends, teachers or any such issues, consider this as an opportunity to strengthen your bonds with your teenage kids. Whenever you see such an attempt of talking being made from your teen’s side,
- Take a pause from whatever work you are doing and just focus on the conversation for the moment. Devote your entire attention to your teen. This will make kids feel their importance over everything else resulting into their openness gradually.
- Make an eye contact during the entire conversation to make the teens feel heard and prioritized.
- Generation of interest is extremely important. Encourage your teen to expand the boundaries of his thoughts, feelings, and opinions, explore his views and implement the plans he has decided. This will help teens develop their individuality and enhance their confidence level resulting into them being comfortable with you than others.
- Just make your teens feel your presence. Teenagers are very much enthusiastic about their thoughts and usually oppose being twitched. Make sure you do not judge or correct them unless and until they ask for your opinion.
Planned Connecting
Busy schedules of today’s hectic work set apart both the parents and kids. Planned connecting helps at such times. It involves scheduling the tasks that both you and your children enjoy being a part of.
- It is no offense to sometime take your teen out for a cup of coffee or dinner after the school or on a weekend. This will make them believe that parents could also be just like their friends. Teenagers these days are interested in cool stuff like hanging out with friends, watching movies, planning sleepovers etc. Be a part of it at times and make them feel even if there is a generation gap, a rapport can still be maintained.
- Make continued efforts. Initially you might face rejection and avoidance. But, do not give up.