Trying To Get Along With Your Teenagers

The Relationship Cure: A 5 Step Guide to Strengthening Your Marriage, Family, and Friendships

No matter what age they are or what stage you are at in the parenting process, children can be an absolute joy, but as anyone with teenagers can tell you, children can also be a monumental trial all on their own! Although "completely getting along with" anyone will never happen, not even when it comes to your own children – there are a few things you can do to ensure you are getting along with them as best you can, and this goes for teenagers just as much as it goes for your children at any other age.

Many parents get into the habit of wanting to be their children's “friend,” and while you certainly want to be able to get along with your children – to a point where you can feel like the two of you get along the same way you do with your friends – it is even more important that you have the respect of your children; establishing respect and authority is the first step to having a good relationship with your children, as they are more likely to behave when they have respect for you, and this will open the doors for the two of you to get along just fine!

In addition to making sure that you cultivate respect from your teenager to you, making sure you are showing this same respect to them will also be important; in addition to establishing authority, make sure you are also opening yourself up to listen to them – their thoughts, ideas, and suggestions of what you can do as a parent.

Once you have gotten these “parenting” aspects taken care of, you can focus on the fun part of having a relationship with your teenager – and that is, simply having fun with them. Even though there will be trials with your teenager, continue to look for opportunities to have fun with and make memories with your teenager, as this will go a long way in strengthening your relationship, and in keeping it strong for a long time to come!