Understanding adolescent development
Adolescence is defined as the period in time in which an individual is transitioning from childhood into adulthood. As children reach this stage, they experience numerous sudden changes including biological, mental, and psychosocial ones. These changes all play a large role in shaping an individual’s beliefs, personality, and overall identity. Biologically, as a child develops, the endocrine system starts secreting more hormones that result in emotional/cognitive changes such as increased impulsivity, sensitivity, and irritability. It is common that they experience their emotions at heightened levels. As parents/guardians, It is extremely important to recognize these changes teenagers experience to be able to completely support them.
The role positive parenting can have during adolescence
Positive parenting can play a very large role during your child’s transition to adulthood, this parenting style is noted for its stress on the importance of empathy, mutual respect, and being able to communicate constructively. When figuring out the best approach that works for your child and yourself, it can be extremely helpful to come to terms with the fact that throughout the period when your child is developing into a teenager, they are inclined to seek more independence and be more likely to question the validity of other’s opinions over their own, which unfortunately, can include them pushing boundaries and questioning parental figures in their life. By using positive parenting, you have the opportunity to create a more open and supportive environment. A few ways you can enforce positive parenting in your day-to-day life include
- Active listening: This allows the teenager to feel heard and that they are understood.
- Modeling the behavior you want to see: As discussed, teenagers are all very impressionable so it is extremely important to model the behaviors/rules you set down. For example, if you emphasize the importance of respectful communication, be sure to use polite and respectful language during your interactions by doing this, you are reinforcing the importance of polite language.
- Validating their concerns/being empathetic: This again, helps the teenager feel as though their concerns are valid and that it is not abnormal to feel a certain way
- Effective communication: Being able to effectively and positively set boundaries is vital, it is important to be firm in your boundaries without being too harsh.
Finding a balance between autonomy and support
Being able to find the perfect balance between giving your teenager the independence they want and still supporting them can feel extremely difficult however, it is essential to give them the space to make their own decisions and learn from the results of them whether they are positive or negative. It has been seen that teenagers learn best with practice so the opportunity to be solely responsible for a certain thing can do more good than harm, though they might take time to get adjusted to their new responsibilities it has the chance to be very beneficial to them. It is still very important to ensure they are still receiving some amount of guidance since to a teenager, a sudden increase in autonomy without proper guidance can be harmful to their overall development. Alternatively, being in too much control can also be detrimental as it can lead to your teenager being more impulsive. Overall, there are potential dangers that come along with either being in too much control or total autonomy which is why it is essential to find a good balance between the two that works for your child and you,
To conclude, there are several factors to be aware of and modify when considering a teenager’s transition from childhood to adulthood. Bearing in mind all the different changes they face during this time, it may not always be the easiest but using the techniques mentioned above and just being sure to openly/effectively communicate will help navigate through it while also creating a more supportive/welcoming environment.
