Sometimes being a teen parent requires patience and tolerance. The kid’s growth and development are still oscillating between toddlers and teens, and thus are not responsible enough. As a parent, having a teen in the house can make you at times go wild with shouts every other minute. However, being a teen parent can be fun when done correctly. So, what is it like being a teen parent?

A teen parent needs to be rational and sensitive. You are handling a teen and not a toddler. The emotions and environmental behavior being exhibited are different from when they were babies. As a parent, it is important to know when to shout and act cool towards them and learn to adjust to handle them.

Facing the Challenges of Being a Teen Parent

Being a teen parent can be fun. It can also turn out to be emotionally straining. It doesn’t mean the situation will last forever. The child is growing up, and just as you dealt with the early stages, this one too will be over. But it should end satisfactorily for both you as a parent and the teenager. Not being emotionally supportive and consistently disciplining your child leads to behavioral problems in adulthood.

A few challenges that emerge being a teen parent include handling the anger and aggression of the child, protecting them from harm, handling gadgets with this digital advancement, and going about their judgemental attitude. The most important is to teach your teen to be resilient enough to handle tough situations.

The challenges of teen parenting may make one give up raising a teen. It calls for patience and the realization that you are the only person that will make your child be what you want to be in adulthood. Making the right decisions for him and leading the way even when it proves tough.

The Best Part of Being a Teen Parent

No babysitting. Handling a teen is different from handling a toddler. You will forget the babysitting, bathing the baby, changing diapers, and waking up in the middle of the night to attend to the baby. The teen can now do most personal tasks like bathing, toileting, and feeding himself.

Gain new experiences. Each kid is born with different abilities. Having older kids does not mean you handle them all the same way. You gain new experiences taking care of a teen rather than a baby. The experiences make you stronger and a more responsible parent.
It is not tiring. When one was a toddler or newborn, as a parent you could do the tasks easily. You are now past handling a child that you trained in all aspects from feeding to toileting.
Motivate you to be a better parent. The challenges experienced to make you want to be a role model for your child. You work harder to achieve the best your teen needs. You move from talking about play and exploration to talking about life goals and schooling.
You still enjoy life. This time with a kid or two around you, you learn the art of growing your career and, at the same time, finding out ways to make life enjoyable with kids around you. Parenting is achieved through systematic planning s so that you don’t get overwhelmed with house chores while away.

Positive strategies

To feel the joy of being a teen parent, you need to put into consideration some positive strategies to take care of your teen child:

Understand your child.

Understanding your child’s needs as a teen will help you do it right. Get to know the emotional, social, and mental issues affecting the child. The immediate environment controls a child’s emotions. A happy environment gives a happy soul and vice versa. They have not yet developed the ability to control their emotions. You need to fit in and regulate your emotions.

Accept you are a teen parent.

Accepting your position as a teen parent is the first step to helping you connect with your teen. Adjust from being a toddler mum to a teen. Be that parent that is always there for your child. Find creative ways to spend more time with your child. Do not give room for bad vices to grow; show love and affection. Let the child know that you are there for every step of his life. Have fun with your teen, make travels and let them have some time off from their daily routines.

Make time for yourself.

It would help if you relaxed once in a while. Handling kids in the house can sometimes be overwhelming and drain you emotionally. Take time to relax and recharge. Taking a rest should not take too long. Take 15-30 minutes of time off. Maintain a balance between leisure and work

Be the coach and not the yeller.

Many parents will always complain about how their teens are making them go mad in the house. As a parent, you expect them to act well when it is not yet their time. Controlling teens means being the coach, directing, and giving instructions. Help where they don’t get it right. Shouting at them only worsens the situation.

Prioritize schooling.

Schooling is one way to help you parent the teen. It helps your teen gain social adjustment. As a social institution, it will help the child develop social skills, how to deal with emotions, and build relationships. Apart from the socialization aspect, the child acquires knowledge and positive attitudes. Positive attitudes will help the child to know how to deal with his siblings in the house and reduce the time-to-time shouts and explanations from you as a parent.

Plan right and give support.

Planning the right activities for your teen to keep his mind occupied. For instance, you can go shopping together, plan picnics and swim lessons. Any outside school activity that the teen feels could be of help is an indicator that your teen needs some time off to cool. Be in support and give the requirements. It will also ensure safety in activities the child engages in.

Things to consider

You are raising an adult, have the teen put in mind

Life goals and career building – It is important to have goals and to work towards their realization. Build a better career in the future and get things moving
Schooling is important – Through schooling, he will learn how to be independent. He will learn that rules make one a responsible adult and prepare for a future he yearns for.
Maintain good relationships – The teen needs to know that family is important. Maintaining a good relationship with family, friends, and school is equivalent to building a small haven for him.
Build social values such as love, care, and affection – Teach him to love and care for himself and others and that he should be considerate to others. Being closer to God helps him maintain these virtues even in adversities.
Be a resilient teen – Teach him that life is never the same for everyone and that things change over time. He should be resilient enough to handle the change and live one day at a time.
Technology can be addictive – Today, every time you walk into a kid, he is holding a mobile phone, iPad, or laptop. There is so much that goes on in the technology world. However, being an addict to these gadgets makes the teen forget school work, exercise, and help around the house. Let them have limits on when to use it.
Drug abuse and violence are never an option – The hardest part of a teen is when he engages in drug abuse. Abusing drugs have destroyed many lives. The abuse of drugs has made people violent, but raising the teen will be a lot easier with guidance and reminding them of the consequences of drug abuse.

Wrapping Up

In conclusion, a happy home means good parenting. As a parent, when you understand your child’s emotions and plan right, you will give the right support needed for the child’s development. Be in control at all times, and prioritize those activities that will help keep your teen in line. When overwhelmed, make time for yourself, and you will be a happy teen parent in the home.

What is it Like Being a Teen Parent?