We all believe that having a family that is spouse and kids is so wonderful. You start weaving big dreams for your child right from the day he/she is born. But just giving them food & clothing does not make you a good parent. You can spend money on your child endlessly but it is far more important to invest your time & emotions in them.
The children are like an encyclopedia of questions and you must face all their queries carefully else you might crop in some devilish idea in to their li’l but very mysterious minds.
One of the most important aspects of parenting is to build a self esteem in your child. This way, you child would be able to achieve success in regards of life, irrespective of the field they opt to go for. This task becomes utmost difficult when the child reaches the teenage as at this age the kids wish to make al their decisions by themselves but at the same time are most prone to make mistakes.
While the teenagers want the least of assistance, sometimes the parents tend to forget their child has grown up. Now they wish to learn from their mistakes & experiences, they want to face all their challenges themselves and while they have not become one, they believe themselves to be a ‘MAN’.
We must understand that every individual is not only the product of the family but also the entire society. The teenager absorbs things not only from his house but also the external society like the friends, teachers, other acquaintances, the movies, songs, stories, books, etc. They do lot of good & bad things all decided by themselves, many of which are absolutely in no knowledge of the parents.
In such incidents either the teachers call for the parents and warn them to check on the child’s behavior. Also in some worst scenarios, the parents might be called to pick their teenagers from the precinct.
While most often the people in such cases blame the parents saying they are solely responsible for what their child does, they are only partly right as they are the legal guardians of the kid and shall always be so. But why would the parents let their child go astray?
They make all attempts to get their child on the right track and rise up high as an individual. All parents love their children, but that is just not enough. Besides investing their money for the child they must invest some precious time and valuable moments with them. Her are some tips for the parents who are undergoing such problems with their kids:
1. They must involve in some activities with the child that would not only bring them closer but also help the child understand as to what is right and what is wrong. For instance, the mothers can inspire the child to practice the art harder like arts, music, dance, etc.
2. The fathers can accompany their kids in the sports and help them practice the games harder in order to become a good sportsperson.
3. The parents must be a good listener for their kids. Let your teenager talk as much as they can as there are several things the child goes through while they gain puberty. You should become their source of knowledge and answer all their queries responsibly. In case they are not satisfied with your answers or you are not sure of some facts, it is better to take the child to a psychologist or a doctor so that the child has the right information. Do not leave to the mercy of internet, movies, television and their friends.
4. Do not make all the decisions for your teenager. Treat them as adults and let them take their own decisions, but be there always with your wisdom & support. Let them learn from their experiences, whether success or failure.
5. Provide them with empowerment. In the corporate terms it refers to the phenomenon that the employees are assigned the task with the minimal supervision. In case they are able to yield the desired results, the seniors do not interrupt them but merely guide them towards improvisation. Empower your child today to prepare for the future events.
6. Do not compare your child with the kids next door. Might be that your child has some other expertise; help them navigate that hidden talent rather than demoralizing the child with the comparisons.
7. Try fostering in your own talent in the child like the engineers might help the child in sciences and the doctors might the children in biology. But do not force them. Do that only if the child has interest in the same. This might show the results in future when he / she is supposed to choose a career for themselves.
8. Do not force your decisions on the child for any thing. They have a freewill that you must respect. Just mention your word to the child and let them decide for themselves.
9. With the bigger decisions of the child’s life like their career, the sports they have to play professionally, etc., instead of forcing the child or negating their choices altogether let the entire family sit and discuss. These are matured decisions that would make or break the child’s success, so while they must be correct, they must also be acceptable to the individual themselves.
10. The parents must instill the idea to the child that where they can see a lot of luxuries, there is a lot of toil involved. Along with the great powers that they dream to have, they must be able to handle responsibilities as well. So whatever they take today would decide their destiny and they have to make these decisions not for the others but their own individuality.
We must understand that there is absolutely no magic solution that would seep in self esteem in the teenager. The parents, friends, teachers, guardians, all can just do their best and hope for the best in return!
