2 childrens playing in the garden
Non-compliant behaviour is a common part of teenage development. It is a temporary phase that passes as the child matures. You can either use a strategy of avoidance by not acknowledging this behaviour or deal with it by incorporating positive communication, clear rules in the family and building on a strong relationship. The best way to deal with this is to avoid nagging, or getting defensive.

Here Are A Few Ways To Help You Deal With Teenage Attitude and Behaviour:

Give Your Children A Chance To Express Themselves And Support Them In Their Decisions.

Not all teenagers mean to be ill-mannered and rude, but this is a common part of teenage growth and development, and more often than not, the child may feel that they are not in control of how they feel due to the intensity with which they feel their emotions. There will be times where you disagree, but your child will be expressing and testing her/his own independent ideas, you should try to be open to them and give them a chance to express themselves. It is important for a teenager’s growth to be able to process their own opinions in an environment that does not inhibit or make them feel ashamed to do the same.

Connect With Your Child In A Way Such That You Don’t Invade Their Privacy

Connect With Your Child Giving your child independence and freedom is an essential part of a child’s growing up process. Teenage attitude and behaviour stem from the child’s need for privacy. If the child feels like their privacy is being invaded, they become more prone to engage in rebellious behaviour. So, one must find a balance between letting their child know that you are there for them and giving them space to be their own person.

Use Humour To Lighten The Atmosphere

It is very important to stay calm while dealing with a negative attitude and impolite behaviour. Parents must use humour to lighten the tone and take the heat out of a situation and to bring a new perspective to the discussion. However, it is important to avoid mocking or ridiculing your child. Keeping in mind you are a role model for your child, it is very important that you respect their opinions because they look up to you for validation. Try to speak and act in a way you want your child to speak and act towards you. Constantly check with your child to make sure nothing is stressing them out or causing trouble in their life.

Familiarize Yourself With Adolescent Development

Raising children is never easy, especially when they are teenagers. But you should not let that deter you. Communicate with your child often, do things together as much as possible, and give your child unconditional love. Find out activities that both you and your child enjoy such as swimming, playing badminton, theatre workshops etc. Engaging in productive activities as a family strengthens the bond and builds the common ground for familiarity and friendship between members of a family. Of course, this is easier said than done. However, if you familiarize yourself with adolescent development it will become easier for you to manage and regulate their behaviour.

Be Empathetic Towards Your Child

Be Empathetic Towards Your Child Teenagers are growing in all sorts of ways. Puberty is an exciting time, full of new emotions and feelings. Therefore, all you can do is offer compassion and support. Moreover, the adolescent brain is still going through development throughout the teenage years and is heavily led by the emotional side of their brain i.e., the Amygdala. The area of the brain that’s responsible for judgment and decision-making remains under construction during this time. Thus, empathizing with your child is very crucial since they do not have the bandwidth to understand their own emotions.

To Summarize, Here Are Ways To Deal With Teenager Attitude And Behaviour:

  • Give your children a chance to express themselves and support them in their decisions.
  • Avoid nagging, arguing and being defensive.
  • Try your best to be connected with your child but in a manner such that you’re not invading their privacy.
  • Permit your child independence and freedom to make their own decisions which are regulated by you.
  • Constantly empathize with your child.
  • And most importantly, stay calm while dealing with a tantrum or disrespectful behaviour to avoid making the situation worse.
No matter how good you are at being a parent, dealing with teenagers is a hard task but the more you trust your child, the more your child will trust and share with you. You can have a healthy relationship with your child only if you are willing to put in the effort to understand her/him and be patient with her/him. Show them you care and this will not fail to open communication channels between you and your child. Happy parenting!

Written By JBCN International School