Episode 2: Parenting Teen and Young Adults

On today’s episode of Life after Kids, we’re discussing the topic of parenting teen and young adult children. As our kids grow up, we can struggle with the balance between having a friendship relationship with them and still being the parent. It can be hard to establish and maintain boundaries with older children and teens. Being firm and consistent with our expectations and rules while also being understanding as we navigate our kids’ emotional and physical changes is so important. Respectful communication is also key to having a healthy relationship with older children. We should strive to be a listening ear and emotional support for our kids, while also setting clear boundaries and holding them accountable for their actions. In this phase of parenting, we’re shifting from telling kids what to do to trusting them to make their own decisions. It is challenging to continue to provide guidance without being overbearing and pushing our children away. Maintaining open communication is important to ensure that we can still be involved in our children's lives, ready to be an empathetic listener if they need help. We’re losing a bit of control over our children as they become adults. That being said, we find that as our kids grow up, authoritarian parenting should be minimized, instead, becoming more of a friend, confidant, and listener to our children. This will help maintain trust and enable us to offer advice to our kids that will be received well. A mutual level of respect is also important, as it allows both parent and child to have a positive relationship. In addition, being supportive while holding our children to a high standard, will help them make the right choices in the future. Check out the full episode of Life after Kids HERE