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3 Unexpected Challenges of Raising High School Students (and How to Solve Them)

Raising High School Students

An image of a mother consoling her teenage son.

 

Are you wondering why your chatty child has turned into a brooding teenager?

Many parents focus on the academic aspects of raising high school students because their children are reluctant to discuss the social aspects. However, your consistent emphasis on good grades, college prep, and talks about the future might blindside you from other problems. Many teens avoid asking for help from parents because it’s awkward to discuss social or personal problems.

The “Inside Story” will provide insights into raising teens through intuitive interventions and interactions.

Raising High School Students: How to Overcome Challenges

Raising teens requires patience, acceptance, quality time, and unconditional (in your teenagers’ eyes) love. We identify challenges you may be unaware of and share actionable parenting tips to tackle them.

Here’s what you should know:

Strict Parenting Can Lead to Rebellion

Generations of parents have used curfews and penalties to discipline teens. You may ground them, take their phones or reduce their monthly allowance.

Research shows that authoritarian parenting styles may cause “teens to act out.” Defiant teens might sneak off to parties, hide report cards, and skip school to take control over their life. They also tend to become more reckless than peers raised by liberal parents. That’s because they are acting without guidance. It can lead to serious trouble when your adolescent falls into bad company.

Parenting Tip: Build Boundaries Based on Trust and Unconditional Love

Promote “positive youth development” by involving your teens when you set the rules. During these discussions, explain why some things are off-limits instead of dictating a list of dos and don’ts. Then allow teens to make individual choices and reinforce that your love is unconditional. Your children will be free to explore life and learn from their mistakes without hiding anything from you.

Generational Gaps are Real

Raising high school students means dealing with intergenerational conflicts, even though you may think that you’re the coolest mom. Just because you star in your child’s Tik Tok videos doesn’t mean that you’ve found a way to bridge the generational differences.   It’s normal to have different opinions on fashion trends, friendships, screen time limits, and study habits.  However, the way you discuss these matters can influence your relationship in the long run. Don’t let slight differences create a “power struggle” with your opinionated teen. Rigid thinking and stubbornness might cause them to feel alienated.

Parenting Tip: Embrace the Difference

Use these conversations as an opportunity to learn from your teens. The socially aware and eco-conscious Gen Z might teach you something new. These meaningful interactions allow you to grow with them instead of growing apart.

Teens Often Struggle Silently

Parents subconsciously project their dreams and aspirations onto their children. You might want your teen to follow in your footsteps by asking them to join the same profession. You may persuade them to do things you couldn’t or criticize them when they fail. These expectations can add to academic pressure.

Some teens thrive under pressure others fail. Research reveals the correlation between parental expectations and mental health problems can be 12 to 15%.  These adolescents experience stress, anxiety, and other mental health issues to gain your approval. Due to this, they are less likely to disclose problems with you.

Parenting Tip: When Your Children Act Out, Look for Underlying Causes

This tip has been hugely important to my development as a person and parent. My empathy level has skyrocketed and I am less likely to lash out at one of my children when their behavior is unacceptable. Your interest in academic progress comes from a place of love and worry. Yet, it can be an underlying cause of their discomfort. Don’t look at their inattentiveness as defiance, as these might be signs of burnout. Raise healthy, well-rounded teens by taking time out for heartfelt conversations. Show sincere support and navigate learning challenges together. It may require you to hire tutors or change their college plans entirely to align with their interests.

Raising High School Students … In a Nutshell

Raising high school students is a challenge … and that’s okay. Adolescents are at an age where they want independence to grow. Helicopter parenting and excess rules might inhibit their growth. The worst-case scenario is that they start rebelling. It can cause disinterest in studies, create conflicts, and affect their mental health. You can avoid this by adapting the way you’re raising teens. Empathize and provide guidance according to their needs. Effective communication, trust, and quality time build healthier parent-teen relationships.

As a result, you’ll be the first person your teen approaches when things go wrong.

 

Looking for more parenting tips? Read our blog  and contact us today for homework help.