Show your support today –and you'll also be contributing to a healthy future for your teens.
There are so many factors that influence a child’s development. Their school plays a role. The friends they find along the way certainly hold some influence. The sports they play, the television shows that they watch, and even where they travel all have an impact on who your child is becoming.
But the most significant factor in your child’s development?
It’s you, their parent.
Even when life gets busy or stressful, remember that your child needs your support, advice, encouragement, and guidance. And having a strong, connected relationship with your child is one of the most powerful tools you have to shape their development.
It isn’t an effortless connection – on the contrary, a strong relationship with your children requires work. But the investment is worth it.
When your kids enter their teen years, maintaining a strong relationship with them requires flexibility and creativity, based on their individual needs and interests.
In our family, our children all have unique interests and personalities. Kyle enjoys sports, while Mikael loves partaking in the sciences. Our daughters enjoy cooking.
In order to be there for our kids, we spend time with each of them doing the things that they enjoy. I spend time in the kitchen with my daughters baking cookies. We attend Kyle’s games. And we encourage Mikael’s passion by purchasing him the books and equipment that he needs to work on his experiments.
We also participate in several activities that bring us closer as a group. Family dinners consist of us chatting about our day, and we plan days as a family where our kids choose the activities. We prioritize these rhythms because it’s all about coming together as a family.
By spending quality time with our teens, we build trust that makes our communication easier when there’s something tough to talk about. When they are upset or want to share, we do our best to listen to them without judgment.
Having a connected relationship with your child won’t just set them up for future success – it will help them navigate some of the most challenging years of their life.
Youth with supportive, connected parents are less likely to abuse substances like tobacco, marijuana, opioids, or alcohol– and that’s just the beginning.
If you’re ready to strengthen your relationship with your child today, I encourage you to take a step.
Your efforts to connect today will build a better bond, and you – and your child – will be forever grateful.
Use these resources to to connect with your teens today:
- If you’re struggling to make a connection, start with these ideas
- Ideas for how to be a good listener when talking to your kids
- Use these conversation starters to get your kids talking
- Small gestures that go a long way in building a better relationship with your teen
