Raising teenagers is both exciting and toilsome. From forbidding your teen
to indulge in activities you secretly did in the age to realize that it’s okay to
compromise in an argument. As your child enters the teenage years, he/she
will ask for more and more independence. This is also the time when your teen
is most prone to getting into risky behavior. Trying to find a balance between
independence and safety is often a challenge. This article will present simple
steps to make your teenager safely independent-
1) Express love and support
Build a healthy and strong relationship with your teen; show that you
love and care for them. Little things such as recognizing and supporting
their interests count in the journey. This will make them feel secure,
boost confidence and encourage them to take the first step to be
independent.
2) Allow them to explore
Exploring opinions and ideas provides the platform for teens to know
more about themselves and the world. Eventually, they will get a clear
picture of their strengths and weaknesses, and this empowers them
mentally to be independent. Keep in mind that your teen’s opinions
might not necessarily be the same as yours, but it’s essential to respect
them.
3) Provide emotional guidance
Teenage is a period of immense physical, mental, and emotional
development. As a result, they are vulnerable to overwhelming emotions.
Educate them on the management of emotions so that they understand
and manage these emotions by themselves. This is an important part of
becoming independent.
4) Involve your teen in decision-making activities
Ask your child to plan the itinerary for your next vacation or take
their suggestion to improve your farmland. Doing so would enable them to understand how things work in “real” life and make better decisions in
the future. Encouraging children to participate in debates, youth
parliaments, and Model UN conferences serves the purpose too!
5) Respect their privacy
Regardless of how close the bond is between your teen and you, there
are times when they simply wish to deal with circumstances by
themselves; don’t force them to disclose everything. Don’t forget that
they become independent only by learning to do things their way!