Read these 14 Teens Tips tips to make your life smarter, better, faster and wiser. Each tip is approved by our Editors and created by expert writers so great we call them Gurus. LifeTips is the place to go when you need to know about Parent tips and hundreds of other topics.
To boost a teen's self-esteem and independence try having your teen tell YOU when he will be home (of course, within reason). Use the rule that he can set the curfews as long as they are not broken. Your teen will like being in charge and this should eliminate a lot of arguments.
All teens and pre-teens love brand name clothes and they are not always affordable for parents. When my teens wanted to buy brand name clothes that I could not afford I would give them the amount of money I "could" afford and they would have to supplement the rest with what they earned on their own. It taught them great responsibility.
You must not be afraid, ashamed, or embarrassed to talk about birth control: In this day and age, birth control/safe sex could save their lives. It's like when they are young and you remind them not to talk to strangers: Remind them to be safe about sex! And remember that if YOU don't give your teen the RIGHT information, their friends may give them the wrong.
When your teen is ready to start wearing makeup, a great way to prevent overapplication and experimentation is to have them learn from an expert. When the time comes, have your daughter visit a cosmetic expert to learn the skills that she will need for the rest of her life. Or, have an expert into your home and let your daughter invite over friends to make a party out of it. Learning the skills early will prevent many fights and arguments as your daughter will know the proper ways to apply makeup and will not abuse it. Also, many teens take advice better from a stranger than from Mom.
Writing letters to a teen is a great way to communicate, particularly during an argument. This way you can think out what you need to say, (in a loving way) without being interrupted, challenged or losing your cool. The result should be greater understanding and a peaceful conversation.
Make your house a comfortable place for your kids to bring their friends. It my cause you to have a higher grocery bill, but you will know what your kids are doing, who they are friends with, and you will be closer because of it. Be sure to treat all the kids with respect and don't criticize, and they will enjoy hanging out at your house instead of the street corner.
Most parents feel like they're in a different time zone than their teens. Being fairly new to adulthood I can tell you the easiest way to talk to them is to speak to them like adults not children. I know that's hard but it eliminates a big part of the problem which is causing that communication gap.
The deciding factor for teens who want to wear contact lenses is not age, but maturity. Your teenager has to be able to follow strict instructions about wearing schedule, cleaning routine, and follow-up visits. Failing that, he or she could develop eye health problems. Ensure that your teen knows that the eye requires a rest from contacts, that they are not a replacement to glasses, and that there are times when they cannot be worn.
If you are always waiting for your teens or pre-teens to get to the car on time, tell your kids that the first one to the car gets to pick the radio station. If they are still not interested, get there first for a few mornings and tune in to Public Radio or your favorite local talk show. That may "change their tune"!
Before allowing new teen drivers the priviledge to drive alone, many experts recommend that parents require their teen to log 500 miles with a licensed driver in the car. This should dramatically lower teen accidents.
Don't bail your kids out of the troubles they get themselves into every time. The difficulties can be wonderful and lasting learning experiences.
As an incentive for teens to finish their required chores and to earn extra cash, design a table listing required chores with "extras" at the end. When the required chores aren't done, deduct an amount from their allowance, and when extras are done, add on to the total. This should encourage chore completion.
Help your adolescent or teen expand his horizons through volunteer work. It's a great way to learn new skills, and meet people. Community or senior centers, places of worship and the Y are good places to start.
Teens are supersensitive to what people think of them, and that even includes the opinions of their parents.
If you convey to your teenager the message that you believe in him or her, that you see them as an honorable and honest person, and that you trust them when they're out of your sight, they are much likelier to actually behave well.
Since this is a time in life when a person's normal activities take them all over town, you can't actually supervise them all the time anyway. So, you might as well lay the foundations of mutual respect by choosing the path of trust rather than that of suspicion.
Everyone we're close to (not just teens) will live up or down to the opinion we have of them. Teenagers who feel that they are approved of by their parents are much likelier to try to live up to that approval.