Through research we have come to understand that teenagers have an emotional need to be independent from their parents as well as the need to find out for themselves their fundamental identity and purpose in life. These facts plus the negative messages that teenagers direct at their parents have often led parents to feel like their parent teenager relationship is on the road to no where.
Being a parent of a teenager can you recall receiving messages from your teen such as “I hate you”, “it’s my life”, “leave me alone”, “I can do whatever I want”, “I don’t want your help”? Hearing such responses is disheartening and may have caused you to conclude that you are not wanted or needed.
Without making a value judgment, you may have decided consciously or subconsciously to ‘step back’ and interact less with your teenager.
What then is the truth? Are parents really needed in the parent teenager relationship, despite the negative reactions of your teenager?
The answer is an absolutely unequivocal “yes”. The parent teenager relationship bond is as important as ever.
Psychologists and social scientists agree that there are 7 powerful reasons why parents have a role to play to develop a strong and robust parent teenager relationship. Let’s take a look.
1. Self Esteem. There is a high positive correlation between a close parent teenager relationship and self esteem in adult life.
2. Emotional Intelligence. There is a positive correlation between high levels of emotional intelligence in teenagers and close parent teenager relationships.
3. Self identity. Teens that are raised in close parent teenager relationships have a high chance of being influenced by positive role models from whom they can cultivate a healthy sense of self.
4. Academic Performance. Studies worldwide reveal direct links between frequent parent teenager interactions (such as eating meals together, discussing problems and life goals) and high literacy, numeracy and academic achievement.
5. Sexual Activity. There is a positive correlation between the age in which teenagers will initiate sexual activity and the health of the parent teenager relationship.The closer the relationship the less likely the teenager will engage in sexual activity at a young age.
6. Sexual Activity. Close parent teenager relationships significantly decrease the chances of teenagers to smoke, drink or take drugs.
7. Violent Behavior. Lots of research shows that teenagers who bond well with their parents are far less likely to perpetrate or be a victim of violence.
Having a great parent teenager relationship is no guarantee for life success. However one thing is clear and that is that nurturing a caring and mutually respectful relationship with your teenager is the best gift and start in life you can give.
Parenting guruPaul Saver has been working with parents and their teens for more than three decades across numerous nations. If you are less than satisfied with your current parent teenager relationship be sure to grab Paul’s seven FREE videos. Each video is power packed with a cutting edge parenting tip that has the capacity to completely transform your parent teenager relationship. Just click on the link above.