Raising children makes up an enormous challenge for every father and mother at all stages of their children’s age, and perhaps all parents agree that the most difficult age stage in dealing with children is the stage teen, The question remains How to raise a Teenager?
What Is Adolescence?
The stage of adolescence is also known as (teen) the stage between childhood and adulthood, and it is the stage in which a person builds their independent personality.
The ages of an adolescent’s starting stage vary according to society and gender.
Females, for example, reach and mature before males, and may begin in society at 13 and in another at 15.
The stage of adolescence is difficult for both parties, as adolescents live a period during which they believe their parents do not understand them and restrict their freedom.
And parents feel their children are liberated from their control and are rebellious against them.
This conflict has always preoccupied humanity because of its concern for parents and the quality of its management affects the adolescent’s personality significantly.
Therefore, it is important for parents to understand that the relationship between their children is in the best condition after all this confusion in adolescence.
Besides that, it is also very necessary to understand the difficulties and new challenges that adolescents are going through during that period in which they face a lot of pressures.
Besides the sudden hormonal and physical changes that occurred to them and represent a strange world that requires responsibilities towards those changes
Adolescents face new meanings such as feeling insecure and that for the first time they aren’t any longer the focus of everyone around them as they were in their childhood.
Additionally, the innate need for independence makes them face the world with a feeling of loneliness, and without guidance from adults
Especially parents, will engage in wrong behaviors or following negative behaviors, besides all the above
The COVID-19 pandemic has also added its impact on how to raise a teenager – and of course
It affected all other age stages, but adolescents had the greatest impact.
The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on adolescents
The Corona pandemic left nothing unchanged, and adolescents are not deviant from the norm.
The pandemic affected adolescents differently according to what they experienced to and therefore reports varied about the impact of the pandemic on them.
In dealing with their children and adolescents and understanding their feelings of anger because of social isolation and anxiety resulting from a sudden lack of support and social interaction.
Researchers found that 46% of parents of adolescents said that their children showed signs of a different or deteriorating mental health condition since the onset of the pandemic.
The pandemic also has a positive impact on how to raise a teenager.
After a study conducted by the University of Bristol, it found that distance education has achieved positive health and psychological benefits for adolescents.
Including reducing anxiety, increasing a sense of well-being, and stimulating communication with their schools.
The researchers in that study attributed the positive effects to enhance a large part of the use of social networking sites and remote communication technologies through video chats.
Which opened a new door for them to be creative without the pressure of shyness or any other pressures
In addition, they have a great opportunity to sleep adequately and without The anxiety of attending school.
It may be a stressful environment for some of them
Is more important than getting rid of the stress of traditional exams and moving to more flexible and less stressful exams.
These positive behaviors and feelings are the ones that parents should reinforce and focus on showing them more, but how do you deal with your teen?
Tips for how to raise a teenager
Adolescence is a sensitive stage, so it is important to deal with it with a keen educational responsibility
Focusing on the positivity that develops the son’s personality and develops it in a balanced manner between firmness and compassion.
Between positive attention and good care, and despite the years full of rebellion and stubbornness
In order to achieve individual independence and prove, However, there are several pivotal and important tips for dealing with your teenage son:
You must first understand the needs of your teenage son in a realistic and scientific way
To search for knowledge about those needs to assess the situation in which your son is in.
This assessment is considered by the teen as a real understanding of the maze in which he lives and feels that those around him support him.
And not against him or meet everything It is rejected.
Good example:
Set a good example for your son in behavior and thinking. This example makes your son’s life at home a school in which he will grow up in the best way.
Firmness:
Use firmness and do not use cruelty
Sometimes we are hard on our children without realizing it because sometimes the children do not meet a good level of satisfaction in ourselves
This is a big mistake, we have to accept our children as they are with their potential and their energies.
Best Friends:
Being his best friend
This is a very good educational solution for the son to feel that his parents are close to him
By accompanying his companions, and that they want his interest first and last.
Privacy:
Give your son some privacy at this stage, such as giving him his allowance on a monthly basis
This will be good training in managing his affairs and satisfy the need for independence for them
As well as your teenage daughter, this will represent respect for the changes that occurred in her teenage years.
How to raise a stubborn teenager?
All this is great, but my son is stubborn. I don’t think that will work for him!
Don’t worry, these tips work for stubborn teens too, but here are some tips for you.
In the eyes of parents, all teenagers are stubborn until proven otherwise, but this point of view is incorrect.
Teens are just trying to prove themselves and a point of view as adults who form a view of the world and see it as correct for them
But if the previous advice does not work, you can use these:
How do I deal with my stubborn teenager?
Basic rules:
First, set the basic rules of behavior, clarifying the rules for dealing with the teenager
Because most adolescents expect they deserve greater independence, and parents should understand and understand this
There must be clear rules for dealing with each other with their explanation and clarification to the teenager.
Hope and Patient:
Don’t lose hope, be patient and repeat the rules. It can frustrate when a teen ignores the rules but don’t get angry
Repeat your requests quietly until your teenage son commits and do not confuse his laziness or forgetfulness with stubbornness and rebellion.
Laziness or forgetfulness is possible and can be addressed with a little reminder and stimulation.
Talk about sensitive matters:
Don’t forget to talk about sensitive matters when your child becomes a teen.
It’s time to discuss tough issues like drugs and sex. Don’t put off these conversations because they’re embarrassing.
Studies show that teens who have discussed sensitive matters with their parents are more likely to be responsible in their activities.
Always Ask the reason:
When he shows negative or wrong behavior, always ask the reason for the wrong behavior instead of assuming the reason
Ask questions such as “What made you do it?” Then your teen will have to think about the situation and its consequences
He may end up understanding His fault without having to explain it.
Punishment:
Make sure that if you have to be a short-term punishment
A suitable punishment that takes several hours or several days can be very effective, and watch out for long penalties
As it increases his aggressiveness and stubbornness.
Be rational and make him look at the punishment as a reasonable response to his violation of the rules
Make sure he sees your punishment as arbitrary and harsh, and explain to him the exact reason for the punishment.
Advice:
Finally, do not hesitate to ask for help and advice, the school may be an excellent option to refer to
The school has an advantage in polite behavior because it imposes a strict public order regarding individual differences.
How schools should deal with adolescent students?
The school has a dominant influence on its teenage students
So choosing a school is an important decision in bringing up your teenage son or daughter.
Always pay attention to the moral, religious and educational support at school and pay attention to the sensitivity of this age stage.
Read more about choosing the best school here: The Best Riyadh Schools for Boys and Girls – Learn About the Most Important Selection Criteria
Schools seek to transfer the student from early adolescence to middle adolescence, which is the more moderate late stage.
Therefore, the school treats adolescents with great respect
They will soon become participatory members of the community by adopting the method of dialogue with adolescent students
Making them feel they are friends and relatives rather than teachers responsible for.
The schools also depend on focusing on the creative aspects and aspects of the student with a relatively low academic level
While trying to develop him in both areas with the support.
The multiplication of non-academic activities brings very good results that encourage the student to come to school
Such as holding matches and competitions and creating an atmosphere of competition in the school.
This atmosphere enables them to highlight their talents, so they feel distinguished, besides venting their pent-up energy.
The school sometimes provides one or more school counselors to communicate with students, and this matter can shorten many problems
Especially if he can be trusted by the students and they can reveal to him everything in their minds
About emotional matters and changes that occur to the body and many things that may be ashamed the teenager from being frank with his parents.