Josh Shipp, award-winning teen expert featured on MTV, CNN, and in The New York Times, gives parents strategies you can use today to help understand and parent your teenager well.
Voices In This Episode
Josh Shipp, award-winning teen expert featured on MTV, CNN, and in The New York Times, gives parents strategies you can use today to help understand and parent your teenager well.
YOUR CUE
- Instead of lecturing, try asking your teen questions to gauge their thought process.
- Be consistent. This is the time your child needs you to be firm the most.
- Train your teen to handle life’s situations in a controlled environment.
RESOURCES FROM THIS EPISODE
EPISODE RECAP
Think of a time you were on a roller coaster. The amusement park employee pushed the safety bar down onto your lap, and you proceeded to make sure it worked properly — you wiggled and tugged at it to guarantee it was secure. You weren’t hoping it would fail, but confirming it would hold.
These are the teenage years. It’s your teen’s job to push against you, and it’s your job to hold your ground and be consistent.
Ages 13-19 are likely the trickiest, most nuanced years of your child’s life, and parenting them can leave you feeling frustrated and afraid. And although it’s a time of high stakes, it’s also a time of great opportunity.
How the teenage years shape your child’s future
What sets the teenage years apart from all other phases you’ve encountered so far rests on the decisions they make when you, the parent, aren’t present. During this phase, self-governance is key and it’s important to look for clues in your child’s daily behaviors to understand how they’ll respond in certain situations. If you notice any areas where they need further development, then it’s your job to lean in and help coach them to make sound decisions.
How to lean in
Being a dependable force in your child’s life and being intentional in your parenting doesn’t have to be difficult. Start by asking your teen questions, instead of lecturing, to gauge their thought process, asking questions such as what their thoughts are on current events and how they’d handle hypothetical situations. Ask them what their favorite songs, TV shows, or movies are to understand the deeper narratives of their decisions and thought processes.
