there's no such thing as a perfect
family parents may often think they're
doing what's best for their child
because they love them but those actions
may not always necessarily be healthy as
children grow up and reach their teenage
years this is usually when things take a
turn for the worst arguments may be
frequent misunderstandings increase and
parents will begin to wonder what
happened to the sweet child they used to
play with this is a concern commonly
experienced and we want to help be a
part of the solution here's eight
effective ways that can strengthen
parent teen relationships number one hug
each other on a daily basis psychologist
Janet ki Colt Glaser states the older
you are the more fragile you are
physically so contact becomes
increasingly important for good health
when you enter your teenage years you
may be reluctant to hug your parents
because it's no longer considered to be
cool as you learn to be more independent
you may keep physical affection to a
minimum however hugging is good for your
health and acts as a natural stress
reliever approaching adulthood can be
scary and challenging when you hug your
parents on a daily basis it can act as a
physical reminder that you're not alone
physical and emotional support are
equally important when you work on
fortifying relationships in general
number two turn off technology devices
during interactions it can be hard to
walk away from technology when we are
constantly connected by it you don't
have to live in a cave to save your
relationship with your parents but it
doesn't hurt to put your phone on silent
so you don't feel obligated to respond
to every email or text message when
you're interacting with your parents
when you're in the car with your family
it's also good practice to turn off the
music so it gives you an opportunity to
talk although music can be a great way
to bond by singing your favorite songs
together on bad days when communication
is vital it's good to stray from using
technology as a means of escaping from
one another
number three connect before transitions
or large decision making making
transitions can be challenging
especially in your teenage years this is
the time when your child begins to
figure out who they are and what kind of
life they want to live a lot of
decision-making takes place there are
going to be many days when they are
uncertain about what direction to take
don't hesitate to reach out and let your
child
though you are there for them give them
advice and any insights you think will
be helpful to them but don't tell them
directly what to do have them figure out
what they want to do but be supportive
and understanding number four make time
to spend quality one-on-one time with
each other as you get older more
responsibilities tend to stack up on
your plate you start working more to
build the skills you want for your
desired career path and your friends
move away to chase their own dreams
you're no longer in close proximity with
them so you have to schedule compatible
times to see each other this makes it
incredibly easy to put your family on
the back burner when you're already
juggling work with your social life but
don't forget to set aside time to spend
quality one-on-one time with your
parents it can be extremely tempting to
postpone plans when you may just want to
be alone to unwind for a while or go out
and engage with new faces in your
networking circle but this is how
parenting relationships weaken distance
is created and putting an effort becomes
minimal to none sustaining a strong
relationship with your parents can be
difficult with increasing age but
ghosting them easily destroys it it
doesn't have to be a lot you can spend
15 minutes each day to have meaningful
conversations or set aside an hour
during the weekend and make dinner
together
number five encourage emotions instead
of shutting them out emotions are messy
but it's important to be mindful towards
each other's feelings don't be quick to
dismiss them especially during arguments
regulating your emotions can be
difficult when you are strongly affected
by a situation but keep in mind that a
strong relationship is built upon the
ways in which we communicate our
emotions if your child is hurting
don't be neglectful towards them even if
the both of you have a hard time talking
about the source of pain emotions can be
only put off for so long until they
explode number 6 listen to understand
not with the intent to react when you're
mad or disappointed in your child it's
easy to listen to them just to confirm
your angry emotions instead of being
quick to react take the time to listen
and understand where your child is
coming from even if you wholeheartedly
disagree with their actions or opinions
if you choose to yell at them this may
cause even more resentment between the
both of you as a result communication
may suffer because your child may
retreat
and refuse to speak to you learn to work
out your differences by broadening your
perspective and finding a solution
together where the both of you can
benefit from number seven respect
boundaries toxic behavior derives from
getting rid of boundaries if you want to
have a good relationship with your child
manifest healthy behavior by respecting
their boundaries this can be challenging
on your end as your child begins wanting
more privacy in freedom but good
parenting involves providing
opportunities to make mistakes and learn
from them don't Rob your child of that
growth instead create a safe space where
failure is normalized part of loving and
caring for someone means letting go when
it's necessary this is how Trust is
built number eight
catch your child in the act of doing
something right teenagers often struggle
with their self-confidence it's
important to recognize that peer
pressure can ruin your child's
self-esteem because popular beliefs
aren't always the healthiest or most
nurturing don't add fuel to the hell
they're trying to walk through in other
words refrain from expressing harsh
criticism and negativity instead focus
on the deeds your child is doing right
and praise them for those actions not
only will it show that you have been
paying attention to them but this will
also help boost their self-esteem is
your relationship with your parents
disintegrating what do you wish to see
differently but more importantly what do
you want to do about it
share your thoughts in the comments
below don't forget to subscribe and if
you'd like support our patreon thanks
for watching