Below are tips 5 and 6 in my series of 10 tips for parents of teens
5) Hang Out With Your Teen
Find the moments to cherish in between the Mom/Dad taxi driving and the homework and the household chores. Look for the “stolen moments” before they are fleeting memories.
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For those Harry Chapin fans out there, think of the song “Tangled Up Puppet.” For those who don’t know it and have teens, find it and listen with some tissues handy. Before your turn around your little bundle of joy from x-teen years ago is now on the road to young adulthood and spending more time away from you than with you.
Car rides are perfect opportunities for important and possibly uncomfortable topics to be discussed. A quick check-in right before bed (if you make it up that late!) could also be a good opportunity to bond. Have your teen’s friends over for dinner. Give your teen some space and they will come back more and more.
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6) Be a Role Model
If you preach the negatives of spending too much time on-line or on the phone, be prepared to put yours away as well. Don’t text while driving, stay within the speed limit, eat your vegetables, don’t smoke and stay away from drugs.
Make “smart choices” and teach them to your children. They will learn from your modeling and respect you for your wise and healthy lifestyle decisions.
