8 Ways to Have a Positive Mindset While Parenting Teenagers

We are in a hormone-infused stage of life over here and times can sometimes be tough. For the teens and us parents. Here are 8 ways to have a positive mindset while parenting teenagers.

1. Set realistic expectations. Don’t expect your teenager to act or think exactly as you do. They are different people and will have their own unique set of characteristics and behaviours. Remember all those times you were proud of your child for being amazing? They still are! They’re wonderfully unique too.

2. Make time for yourself. Dedicate time each day to relax, have fun, and get your mind off of parenting. Teenagers need their own space and time to grow and learn. Use this time to pick up a hobby or finally read those books you’ve been promising to read since you brought your teens home as babies. It’s finally time.

3. Be patient. Don’t get frustrated easily. Teens will test your patience frequently, but eventually, they will learn and grow. They need to make their own mistakes no matter how much it pains us to watch from the sidelines. If you want to offer guidance, be gentle; don’t tell them what to do, but show them or offer advice. If their musical equipment is always a mess, pointing them in the direction of something useful like a cable management guide can be ideal. They won’t feel like they’re being made to do something, but they’ll still see why it should be done. 

4. Be accepting. Don’t get wrapped up in the drama and upset that your teenager is behaving in a way that you don’t like. Instead, try to understand their reasoning and be supportive. HORMONES are raging. A lot of what is happening doesn’t even make sense for your teens.

5. Be positive. Teach your teenager to think positively and to take things one step at a time. This will help them to stay calm and rational during difficult situations.

6. Stay connected. Stay in touch with your teenager and keep the lines of communication open. This will help to keep tensions low and ensure that you both stay on track. Sometimes teens don’t want to talk face-to-face but will be willing to text. Maybe notes in their lunch box will break their tough shells. Be open to any and all communications.

7. Be persistent. When things are getting tough, be persistent in your efforts to raise a positive and healthy teenager. Please don’t give up on them too easily. Try to remember how hard the teenage years were for you and now multiply it by a couple thousand to introduce social media and smartphones into the mix. They’re struggling but we need to be by their side.

8. Celebrate the successes. Celebrate the successes – even the small ones – and be grateful for all the good that your teenager is doing. This will help to keep their spirits high and encourage them to continue behaving positively. Sometimes my teens do straight fucked up things. Sometimes they do things that it feels like we specifically have been warning them about since the day they’ve been born. On those tough days, I remember all of the good days we’ve had. All those personal successes they have had. The good choices they made.

Conclusion

Parenting teenagers can be a daunting task, but with a positive mindset and a sense of humour, it’s possible to make it through unscathed. After all, laughter is the best medicine! Having a positive attitude can also help you to keep calm when challenging situations arise, and remind you that these teenage years will pass before you know it.

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