If you often feel that you have seen competitive performances in your
house when watching a classic dramatic scene in a movie, you are probably
parenting a teenager. How to deal with teen drama, seems the biggest challenge.
Teenagers are in a phase of life when a lot of emotions suddenly come
tumbling their way. While trying to manage, they make way to something
that is a concern for their parents more than anyone else. Somewhere between
sudden outbursts for trifle things and attention-seeking satisfaction of a
slammed door, teenage drama becomes an inevitable part. More often than
not, parents think that it’s a part of growing up. They feel that there’s
nothing much they can do to deal with teen drama. Or sometimes, even if they
want to they don’t find a loophole around it. The truth is, teenagers really
need incomparable support from their parents while making this phenomenal
transition towards adulthood.
Here are some tips on how you can be a fully equipped support system to deal with teen drama.
1.
Don’t ignore but don’t dive in
Teen drama cannot be ended or curbed without a proper guidance. So,
ignorance because you think you are not fully able to handle the situation is
the worst decision. But at the same time, diving right into every matter that
concerns your teenager can be meaningless. Be like a pivotal character in a
movie who swoops in at the most critical of times. Keep your head clear
and not being a part of his/her daily emotions. Make the right judgment
and impart a proper guidance.
2.
Don’t Sting back
Sooner or later, teenagers at some point of life dish out on their
parents for the tiniest of reasons. This is normal and if you remember well
enough, you did it too when you were a teenager. Consciously or inadvertently.
Now, as a parent witnessing a lot of teen drama, while it may seem like a
reflex to sting back when your child is lashing out to you and uttering hurtful
words, you have to keep calm. Your teen kid is probably going through a lot of
changes and already dealing with a lot of unwanted problems. The last thing
your kid needs is you lashing back at him/her with your words. Be patient
because the damage these words will do is irreparable.
3.
Listen! Listen! Listen!
Teenage is a make or break phase for every parent-child relationship. As
a parent how you are handling this phase and communicating with your child is
extremely challenging. And extremely critical too. While it might feel
like your kid is speaking in a completely different language altogether and at
times you will want to drift away from the consistent yapping, Don’t! Being a
good listener works like a charm in many facets of life. This is one of
the most crucial ones. It will not only keep you informed and updated about
your child’s life, but also make him/her feel more connected to you. A
definite stepping stone to a solid parent-child relationship!
4.
Don’t Judge
It does not take a teenager to know that there are already going to be
too many people in any individual’s life during this phase who will judge them,
or at least make them feel judged. Don’t add up to that list. Be the one who
listens to your teenage kid and assures them that they are the best.
Apart from the above, certain basic steps can be
followed to find tune your teen. Peer pressures being one of
the important aspects, parents need to be extra careful and deal with teen
drama tactfully.
Would love to know
your experiences of parenting a teenager. Kindly share.
