Are you on the verge of losing hope on your teenage son? Passing through puberty comes with both physical and emotional changes. This is the time when a child is discovering themselves and trying to find their identity. How you deal with a defiant teen can affect how they turn out in future. Some people who don’t know how to react to teenage behaviors find themselves using tactics that elevate problems at home.
Being a teen may come with emotional outbursts, rebellion as well as spite. Hormonal fluctuations may affect such behaviors, but this should not be an excuse to lose one’s path. As a parent, the right strategies to cope with defiance will help you cultivate good behavior in them. Here are some few tips to get you started.
Link privileges with good manners
Teach your child that it is not his right to receive electronics or money if he behaves unexpectedly. As long as you are providing the fundamental needs of your teen, they should view everything else as a privilege. Make them aware that they can only receive this privileges if they follow house rules and obey adults. Don’t let them keep luxuries when they don’t act accordingly. This will encourage them to do good to earn the benefits.
Do not use a repetitive approach
Nagging to a teenager about the same issue every time, is not an effective way to deal with defiance. They may start mocking your repetitive phrases instead of seeing the seriousness in what you are saying. It is possible for a teen to demean your authority due to repetition. Ensure that you only direct them once, outlining the warning.
Don’t hold back on consequences
Do not spoil your teen by holding back on implications. Doing this may make not make them realize how severe their actions may be. Set the limits and implement consequences for each house rule. Do not give them an opportunity to question your authority by not taking action for bad behavior.
Avoid threatening your teen harshly since this may make them view it as a chance for competition. Remember that they are also dealing with emotional changes so they may not take threats positively. Don’t find an excuse for your teen when they are in the wrong. Sometimes punishment helps them learn from their mistakes.
Plan
Rehearsing what to say to a defiant teenager will help you not overreact to a situation. You may have found out that your child is practicing sex or doing drugs. Coming up with a strategy to talk to your child prevents you from letting your emotions worsen the situation. One of you needs to be the adult right? Ensure that you, thus, plan so that you can have a clear message beforehand.
Don’t scold them always
Being young does not mean that you will always be in the wrong. Acknowledging good behavior and praising your child for it, will make them feel appreciated. In as much as you reward them for good deeds, overdoing it is not healthy. Once in a while, compliment your teen for coming home before curfew and motivate them to carry on with following instructions. Sarcasm does not resonate well with teenagers but instead, causes spite and negativity. This technique makes most teens withdraw from their parents since they feel undermined.
Educate them how to solve problems
Most teenagers use defiance due to the inability to know how to deal with issues in their lives. Don’t discipline your child and forget to be their first teacher and coach. Try to understand your child better by having mature conversations with them.
Find out the causes of the challenges that make them rebel. Listen to their views as you suggest better ideas to help them solve problems. Do this calmly without raising your voice on them. This will help your child view you as a helper, rather than the enemy.
Concentrate on one issue at a time
Making parenting easy for you by focusing on one pressing issue instead of everything they might be doing wrong. Select a negative behavior that may have adverse effects on the teen and plan on how to handle it. Prioritize things that may affect their lives such as unprotected sex or peer pressure.
Avoid picking fights over petty issues that don’t have a significant effect. This will make both of you not feel as if you are competing for power. Make your home a peaceful environment by turning the other cheek on minor issues, so that you can focus on areas that need parental intervention.
Respect your child
Most teenagers complain that they don’t get the respect they deserve from parents. It is normal for a person dealing with mood swings to feel disrespected at home. Your child may yell at you during an argument, but if you decide to yell back, they may not take this lightly. It makes them feel vulnerable and unloved making them seek attention outside the home. Be the role model to your teenager by not using abusive language on them if you want them to be respectful. Don’t forget that respect is earned.
Find support
Raising a young adult may be challenging. Don’t let yourself get depressed over their negative attitude towards everything. If their actions are out of control, getting professional support would be a wise move. Let drug rehab treatment centers in Louisiana know that your teenager is abusing substances so that they can give them better support. You can also get assistance for yourself by attending therapy and parenting classes to interact with people in similar situations.
Final thoughts
Going through adolescence requires supportive parents who empathize with a child. Instead of using harsh strategies that cause hatred at home, try our tips above and realize the difference. Remember to play all the necessary roles in your child’s life. Strive for a healthy relationship with a defiant child by correcting them with respect and diligence. This will prevent them from looking for love in all the wrong places for them to thank you in future.
