Growing Again with your Teen: Working with your Twenty-First-Century Teenager

By Jacqui Davis

If raising a teenager is something you would like to give your best to , then this book is for you. The book covers topics you should pay attention to while raising your teenager in the 21st Century;  ranging from hormones, good and bad of technology, stress, respect, dating and sex to bullying and money management.  These are the most exciting years of a child’s life and that makes it all the more important that we give enough time and thought to doing our best for them.

“Growing Again with your Teen” will help you see a teenager’s life through their eyes. In the process, you will become better equipped in using the wisdom and maturity that comes with age. It is my belief that the contents of this book will ensure that both you and your teenager grow together through it all.

Every child deserves the best —and by ‘best’, I mean their own very best. “Growing Again with your Teen” will help you make that happen.

• Language: English
• Publisher: HisKin Publications
• Release date: Oct 28, 2017
• ISBN: 9788827507698

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Introduction

Parenting is the most important, amazing, wonderful, fun, scary, difficult, heart and gut-wrenching job on the face of the earth. But you already know that, don’t you? What you might not know, however, is that when your children turn into teenagers, this ‘job description’ doesn’t change. Parenting teenagers is equally important, amazing, wonderful, and fun as parenting babies and children. No, really, it is.

Yes, this stage of parenting definitely has its share of challenges different from the other phases of raising children. But then isn’t that true of every stage of parenting? For example, babies present the challenge of keeping your head on straight in spite of being sleep-deprived, while parenting your elementary-aged child presents the challenge of knowing how to balance extra-curricular activities with school and home, knowing how much help with homework is too much, and teaching them to have and use social skills, manners, and a strong sense of self-worth.

By the time your teens become teens, you are (or should be) seeing and enjoying the fruits of your labor. And then comes puberty—complete with hormones—trying its darnedest to undo everything you and your children have accomplished to this point.

The good news is, is that the changes that take place don’t have to undo everything. If you do things right, the changes can just be rearranged to fit your teenager’s growing and changing self. And that is what this book is about—giving you the tools you need to know how to help your teen navigate these next few years happily, healthily, and successfully. Oh, and guess what? You’ll be able to do these things and keep your sanity.

Each chapter covers a different topic, all of which are relevant to parenting a teenager, to some extent or another. After identifying and explaining the specific topic, you will be given examples of how the behavior or circumstance can affect you and your teen, as well as advice and encouragement on how to address and handle the issue.

At the end of each chapter will be a list of suggested additional resources for your ‘reading or viewing pleasure’…and some for your teenager, too. Hopefully these resources will help you and your teen better understand one another and instill a greater appreciation and respect for what each of you is feeling and thinking.

With that being said…HAPPY PARENTING!

Too Much Information

Respect yourself and others will respect you. ~Confucius

We have already mentioned the value of self-respect and self-confidence in previous chapters, but those mentions were relative to the subject matter being covered. In this chapter we are going to focus solely on the essentiality of your teenager’s self-respect and self-confidence.

The quote under the title of this chapter is spot-on. Respect for one’s self is the foundational cornerstone of your teen’s happiness and success. Their measure of self-respect determines the depth and satisfaction they derive from relationships and in their career. It determines their sense of morality, honesty and integrity, and their ability to contribute to society in a positive manner.

Whew! That’s a lot of important stuff, isn’t it? It’s more than that—it’s EVERYTHING!

Throughout this book I’ve stressed the fact that loving our teenagers unconditionally should be our number one goal. Our number two goal should be to make sure they love themselves unconditionally, as well.

I could spend time giving you all sorts of reasons as to why your teenager needs to have a strong sense of self-respect and self-confidence. But I’m not going to, because at this point I don’t think I should have to. I would hope and pray you know why these things are so important. Instead, I am going to give you a good number of tips and suggestions on how to instill these values. I am also going to share with you several quotes or words of wisdom from a number of other people. Some of these people are famous. Others are not. But all of them have something to say worth ‘listening’ to on the subject.

Are you ready? Then let’s get started.

FYI: The following are not in any particular order of relevance or importance.

Tell your teen you love them.

Don’t let one day go by without saying the words I love you to your teenager. This goes for dads, too. They need to hear it. They need to hear it often.

Show your teen you love them.

You need to prove your words by showing your teen you love them. You do this by being present and personally invested in their lives. Show up for practices and games. Know what’s going on at school. Volunteer to help with school activities. Make your teenager’s friends feel welcome and comfortable in your home. Talk AND listen to your teenager. Include them in family decisions (appropriately). Spend time with them doing things they like to do. Include them in your hobbies and special interests.

Provide opportunities for your teenager to discover who they are.

Not every kid is athletic. Not every sixteen year-old has the desire to be in a dating relationship. Some teenagers prefer hunting and fishing to video games and rap. Some prefer playing in the orchestra, while others are most comfortable in a personal best, type of sport like golf.

Whatever your teenager’s interests and passions are, you need to help them find productive and creative outlets for them. In doing so, you are helping them attain a higher level of self-confidence. They are also perfecting their skills, meeting other people who share their interests, and they are able to see what options there are for possibly pursuing a career doing something they love.

Remember, though, just leaving them to do their ‘thing’ without your involvement and recognition isn’t what I’m talking about. For example, let’s say your teenager has a knack and passion for coding or writing apps. You don’t want to just leave them to spend hour after hour in front of a screen and/or by themselves in their room. Instead, you get them involved with a group of peers (4-H or other extra-curricular club). Help them advertise their services to people at church, your work, or your friends. Using their skills productively, to benefit others, and to be recognized and valued by others is a great way to keep your teenager focused