Teens and Parents

Often times when I meet with parents who have teenagers, their biggest question is, “how do I connect with my teen when they push me away?” It can be difficult to connect to your teens when they are consistently pushing parents away and holed up in their rooms.

During the teen years, teens are moving away from a family-centered world into defining and figuring out their self-identity. They are figuring out who they are, and who they want to be. They are moving away from their parents and developing their own identities. They have to figure out how to navigate their day-to-day lives without the guidance of their parents. They begin to take risks and experiment with different things.

There are no easy answers for parents and parenting, below are some things you can do to help stay connected with your teen.

• The number one thing you can do to stay connected with your teens is, to be honest with them. Use your own experiences with them.

• Know and understand that respect goes both ways.

• Show interest in the things they are interested in.

• Allow your teen to have a bigger role in the family.

• Get to know their friends, have their friends over, and spend time with them and your teen.

• Listen to music together. Many teens love music and they typically listen to music that speaks to them. Get to know the songs, speak to them about the songs and what it means to them.

Spending time with your teen is important. Connecting with them will be difficult and they will push back against parents. Counseling can help bridge this gap between parents and teens. I meet with teens and help them navigate their social relationships and relationship with their parents.

Call or email me today if your teen needs help or if you need help with parenting. Kimberly@tylerteencounseling.com or 903-206-1610.