When asked, “How do you show your child or teen you love them?” parents say things like giving them hugs, making them breakfast, and using the words “I love you”. There isn’t a right or wrong answer. However, an even more important question to ask is: How do you speak your child or teen ’s love language? Keep reading to get easy-to-apply ideas!
As humans, we all have a desire to belong and to be significant. Positive Discipline teaches that every behavior a child or teen exhibits is an attempt to confirm that they belong and are significant. Today, we focus on how YOU, as a parent or caregiver, can use this concept as a foundation for intentional living.
As the parent of a teen, it can be truly powerful to practice self-encouragement. This involves practicing self-compassion, acknowledging that you cannot control your teen, and giving attention to “successes.” Keep reading for a daily self-encouragement practice.
Summer can be your greatest asset in guiding hard-to-reach teens (so, yes, I mean all teens) toward a healthy and happy adulthood. As the parent, motivated to get our teens involved this summer, we might try to explain to our kids how they’ll be challenged and better off by participating in summer programs and learning experiences. We also have to understand the benefits from a teenager’s perspective and communicate in ways that bring connection and collaboration.
As parents, caregivers, and supporters, it’s important to set limits in order to protect our energy and time. Boundaries support us in living with intention and getting our needs met. Furthermore, each one of us has the powerful responsibility to determine our boundaries and to create a life that reflects these values.
Teens who are experiencing stress may quickly change habits or routines, and when you become aware of this as the parent or caregiver, it can be easy to go into investigation-mode. You want to know what your teen is facing so that you can help them solve it and find relief. These moments require you to slow down, breathe deep, and focus on connection first; keep reading for strategies on how to talking to your teenager about their stress and overwhelm.