How to Build Better Relationships with Teenagers

One of the hardest parts of parenting is the uncertainty about the future. As much as you like (and try) Do the right thing, but the end result of your efforts can be hard to predict will be, once your child will eventually I left home as an adult. Parenting teens makes me especially anxious in my teens Become Becomes increasingly independent and begins to distance themselves from their parentsIt is enough for any parent to wonder what kind of relationship we will ultimately have with our adult child and what we can do now to influence it.

and Recent research that Following 1,631 participants from grades 6 through age 22, the researchers asked how the parent-teenage relationship developed over time, and whether participants were close to their parents at the end of the study. We looked at how likely they were to report a relationship. What they found were teens who reported warm, involved relationships. With parents who practiced effective discipline They were more likely to report intimate relationships at age 22.

In contrast, adolescents who reported changing relationships with their parents over time found that their parents became less warm and less involved, while they practiced harsh or unpredictable discipline, They were less likely to report intimate relationships with their parents as adults.

How Teenager Relationships Change Over Time

Shichen Fang, a researcher at Concordia University and one of the authors of the study, said: One of the effects of this increased autonomy is that “we see a decline in parent-child relationships, both in terms of quantity and quality.” While the world is expanding to include social life and non-family interests for teens, parenting can feel much more taxing for parents. The more a teenager approaches adulthood.

“Our research shows that parenting can change significantly during the teenage years. PAdults often express less warmth and affection, spend less time with teenagers, and become more disciplined. “ Greg Fosco, a professor at Pennsylvania State University and one of the study’s authors, said: and press releaseHowever, the pressures of parenting can make these changes feel necessary, and they can last for a long time.Terminology, negative impact on parenthood.

This is especially true as parenthood transitions from the warm and loving relationship of childhood to the tough and less loving relationship of teenage years. We were able to show that it leads to results,” said Fang.

The Importance of Warm Relationships with Teenagers

In this study, researchers were able to find out how much time participants spent with their parents and how often they spent time with them. What discipline did you use to express love and appreciation to your teen? Teenagers who reported having closer relationships with their parents in adulthood reported spending more time with their parents and receiving more love and appreciation from them, and were also more consistent and fair. reported being disciplined in a non-harsh way.

In practice, this is like having a family meal together or doing regular activities together., or spend time talking about homework or school activities. “MeWe don’t always say ‘I love you,'” Fang said. “May be showing affection in other ways. Children need to feel that you love them. ”

When it comes to teenage discipline, researchers focused on three separate factors. Whether discipline is consistent, whether teens are given a clear rationale for rules and disciplinary actions, and whether discipline is strict. Teenagers were more likely to understand the rationale, report consistent strict discipline, and more likely to report close relationships with their parents in adulthood.