How do you handle a teenager?

Answer 1

you obviously need to stop asking them a lot of questions, you need to trust them more, and if they don't listen to you, then let them learn from their mistakes. If their ready, they'll talk to you and open up. Give them some space, but let them know (only once or twice so they won't get irritated) that your there for them. The "I'm-here-for-you-i-won't-get-mad" talk won't work, trust me. Don't get into their business that much because trust me, teenagers HATES that, they'll think that your suspicious of something. My mom used to be all-over my face all the time, but now she isn't, and i learned from my mistake, i got to open up with her little by little, and that she trusts me more and i trust her more, i tell her what's going on with my life, not completely but still I'm working on it, but i know she's there for me. If the teenager is one of those who smokes and drinks and party up and got into new friends, then try asking one of his/her close friends that hates to see her/him like that to talk to her/him or a teacher that the teenager feels comfortable with and trust talk to him or her. It's not easy i know (even though IM THE TEENAGER and not THE MOTHER OR FATHER) how it feels (kind of), you worry about them, you hate them to see so depressed and alone. Try to even invite one of their close friends and get to know more of his/her friends (try not to do it in a suspicious way). Maybe for a week or two, try being his/her friend and not the mother or father, and maybe you'll learn more about him/her. Maybe he/she feels that you expects so much from him/her, try telling her/him that you don't expect and you should cut nagging them about it. (like maybe going to THIS high school when they want to go to THAT high school) no offense, but teenagers hates it when parents are trying to control their lives, (we all think this so don't hate us: "you had the choices how to live the way you want in you old days, let us live ours because we only live this days a couple of years and it's hello adulthood.) Remember: We live by choices, not by chances, so if you wanted to do something in your teenager days but didn't, it's not by chance, it's by THE choice YOU made. LOL....i actually remembered that, the phrase "we live by choices, not by chances", my sixth grade teacher taught us that, 20 ways of something of something, forgot....anyway, that's how WE feel, no offense. i really hope i helped, because its really a great feeling once you get along with your teen. I'm just some teenagers tryin' to help ;)