How to Efficiently Raise Teenage Children

Raising teens is no joke, it is not an easy job for parents or guardians to meet all the challenges of guiding them in the most "turbulent" years of their life, towards a smooth, successful adulthood.


Here are some of the tips on how to go about caring for your teenage children based on personal observations and experiences:

>Understand the phase of the development of the child, biologically.

> Keep an open communication with the child.

>Keep him company/ befriend him/ be his chum.

>Offer good solutions, positive ideas.

>Parents/ guardians should be good role models.

Understand the biological changes happening in the body of the child, both physiologically and psychologically. Scientists said there are hormonal changes in the body of the child when he reaches the age of puberty or adolescence. This is the teenage years, when sex hormones become active, causing different changes in the child's physical body and in his disposition or mentality. He could be quite confused on what he really wants to do, on what is his purpose in life, and why does he exist. These are the common questions that crop up in a teen's mind.

Keeping an open communication with the child is the best thing to do on this stage of his physical and mental development. Parents/guardians should have enough knowledge on what the child is going through during this phase of his life. Always talk with the child, explain things in a clear way to ease his confusion. Be observant of him, when the child is always silent, always angry, or looks troubled, that is the time that he needs your words. Do not let him seek advise from his peers whom you do not know. He might be led astray.

Be his friend, his company. A child who knows that his parents or guardians are always there for him gets assurance or a feeling of security that he is being cared for.

Always be ready to offer good solutions to his problems, geared at getting positive results. Do not force him to always agree with what you are saying. Just listen to him, do not show anger or frustration, but be firm on your argument and just let time pass and soon he will realize that what you are saying is right.

Raising teens is quite a challenge. Parents or guardians should be role models, because even if they do not say it, they are observing your acts, evaluating it, and adopt whatever you are doing. If you speak and think positively about things or against anybody, if you lead your life nicely, the child could imbibe it. He/She will become a responsible adult.