Adolescent Counseling Baton Rouge: Keys to Building a Good Relationship with your Teenager
Here are some keys to improving your relationship with your teenager.
1. Find a common interest, and spend time doing activities related to that common interest. For example, If you both like Theatre, go to some Plays together.
2. Become a better listener. Often times, parents talk at or talk to their adolescent child instead of talking with the child. Spend just as much time asking questions and listening, as you do correcting and teaching.
3. Take an interest in their friendships, and develop relationships with their parent’s friends. Today, we have a breakdown in community, and the old saying, “it takes a community to raise a child,” does not apply like it use too. Stay connected to the people that are involved with your child so that you can have a closer monitoring of their behavior.
4. Discuss with them the topics that are most important to them. It may be dating, sports, cloths, music, style or whatever else may be their interest. Take an interest in their interests.
5. Monitor their online activity closely. Adult sites, anonymous relationships, inappropriate websites are so easily accessible, therefore, it must be closely monitored to keep them from Internet trouble.
It is normal for your adolescent to pull away to create identity, yet extreme isolation and withdrawal is not normal. Keep awake to your teenager, so they may stay connected to you.
Dean Sunseri is a Licensed Professional Counselor with offices in Baton Rouge, New Orleans and Gonzales. He provides adolescent counseling and family counseling.
