Motivating Your Teen
Some teenagers will be harder to motivate than others and it can often depend on their general lifestyle and upbringing. Probably the most important factor in having an influence in your teenager’s life is how close a relationship you have with him/her. When parents have a strong relationship with their teenager then that teenager is more likely to have a healthy view on life and will greatly appreciate any advice that you give them.
A parent who does not have a close bond or strong relationship with their teenager will have a much lower chance of being able to influence their teenager in which direction their life may take.
Lecturing your child in which direction to take in life, whether in regard to academic goals or lifestyle choices, will not lead your child in the right direction and in fact may undermine any efforts that you have made to influence him/her.
Likewise, to be condescending of the choices that they do make themselves can actually make them continue with their choice out of despite rather than listen to any advice you have to give.
Children seem to have a need to grow up fast and even as a teenager often wish to be treated as an adult. By treating your teenager as a young child and making all their decisions for them, will make them feel like they are not getting the respect they deserve.
It is more effective to treat your teenager with respect and talk together with your teenager and work out a solution that will suit both you and him/her.
Having a positive outlook on life yourself, can help your child to develop into a positive thinking teenager with a healthy outlook on life. A child with a positive attitude will have a higher degree of motivation in life and be more likely to value their eduction and lifestyle.
Spending quality family time with your teenagers will help you to know them and not lose site of who they are as they mature. Asking questions and having regular discussions as a family will give you a close bond and they will share with you their goals and desires.
Remember children will not always follow in the footsteps of their parents and you need to be prepared to accept that if they make a choice to go in a different direction. Offer them the support they need in whatever they choose to do. It can make the world of difference to your teenager knowing that they have the support of their parents in whatever path they choose to take.
Always be there for your child if they need help and need to talk to you. Putting them off because you are busy will stop them coming to you for advice or help, so always make sure to spare the time for them when they need it.
When they discuss their goals with you, discuss with them what they may need to do to meet those goals. Discuss the consequences with things like not doing homework or not practising sporting skills, etc depending on the goal they are aiming for.
To ensure that your teenager stays motivated toward their goals in life make sure they know that you are always there for them to offer your help and encouragement.
More Articles about Teen Parenting and Magazines here.
No comments:
Post a Comment