8 STRATEGIES FOR PARENTING ADOLESCENTS.       Steve Obiakor

 March 11, 2020

Having worked as a high school teacher, a hostel parent and now a high school Principal all spanning about twenty years now, I have come across different behaviours amongst the adolescents. Some of the behaviours I encountered left me confused; some frustrating, others revealing and yet others appear really beautiful, encouraging and adventurous. I have also met and worked with a lot of parents in the course of my duties as a high school principal. Most of these parents are going through crucibles trying to understand their adolescent children in order to give them the best direction in life. A lot have expressed the fear of losing grip on these young men and women and losing them completely into the world of oblivion.

Who is an Adolescent?

An adolescent is an individual within the transitional stage of physical and psychological development that generally occurs during the period from puberty to legal adulthood. Adolescence is usually associated with the teenage years. We are looking at the age range between 13 and 17 most likely.  Physical, psychological and emotional expressions of an adolescent progress as the age progresses.

Although an adolescent is part of a family, he/she wants to establish his/her independence and identity yet still strongly connected to the family.  They make effort to prove that they have left the teething age where parents make choices on their behalf without consulting them.  While the parents are so sure that these young men and women have not seen anything; they need to be controlled, the adolescents believe they have seen it all; they want their independence; so the tussle is actuated.

Parenting an adolescent, be it a boy or a girl is a huge task that requires separate (though connected) parenting skills from what is required to parent children.  This article looks at eight proven strategies parents can adopt to make their relationship with their adolescence children strong and fulfilling.

What do you think I’ve missed out? Drop it in the comment box please. A lot of parents and would-be parents really need these tips. Knowledge is power; ignorance is deadly.