How do I get prepared for my kids becoming teenagers?
A lot changes when kids become teenagers, so parents must change too. Things get more complicated, and the temptations and risks your kids face are MUCH higher. Parents of teenagers don’t have to be perfect, but they do need to be proactive and prepared.
How can you get ready for the teenage years?
Accept that issues can happen in your family
Statistics show that 75% of high schoolers will try addictive substances and almost half will deal with a mental health issue, so make the commitment to become prepared to prevent or minimize those issues in your family.
Address codependency with balanced parenting
Examine your parenting style and ask family members if you are too controlling (anger, lectures, preaching) or enabling (permissive, soft boundaries, fix their problems) and write down areas to adjust to be balanced.
Use the resources available to be more prepared
The PACES for Parents online learning center has useful resources to help build happier families. In the Preparation section, watch the free video with 10 things parents can do to be more prepared for the teenage years.
Here are some other useful resources to help you prepare for the teenage years:
- “Preventing Addiction in Teenagers”
- “Should You Be Worried About Your Teenager’s Safety?”
- “PACES: Steps to Becoming a Better Parent”
- “Proactive Parenting”
Next Right Steps: From this article and the useful resources, write down things you want to do to be more prepared for the teenage years.
