We all know teens are more prone to taking risks than younger children or adults. As children move towards adolescence they have a natural tendency to seek new sensations and experience more ‘adult’ activity.
These normal developmental tendencies, coupled with the remodelling that is occurring in the brain, can mean a young person is more likely to engage in risk-taking activity.
Parents are often at a loss as to how to deal with these risky behaviours, but it’s something many of us face regularly. So here are my three top tips for supporting your kids to take a more healthy approach to risks.
Encourage your child to become involved in an active, team based activity on the weekends.
This could be sport, drama, dance or any number of things, the benefits of which are twofold. Firstly, it allows your teen to experience risk in a supported environment – think of the adrenaline rush of racing down a mountain on a bike, running across a sports field toward the goal, or getting ready to go on stage in front of an audience. But there are also added benefits of having a team or group relying on them to show up on Saturday morning, such as reducing their desire to stay out late at parties, drink or use drugs.
Remember, you cannot control your teens. They need to want to do what you ask, because they love and respect you.
Rule with Love
Teens, though they may push against it in a bid for independence, still need a lot of love and nurturing. Connecting with them any way you can is vital. Your relationship is the key to their successful navigation through the teen years. Remember, you cannot control your teens. They need to want to do what you ask, because they love and respect you. For this to happen, your teen needs to feel heard, loved and respected. Empathise with them, remember what it was like to be a teenager and to have all those big feelings swimming around inside you.
Teens have a tendency to be impulsive and not think about the potential consequences of their actions, or what other options may be available to them.
Support them to make their own decisions
Involving your kids in decision making processes is a powerful strategy. If they want to do something, sit down with them and get them to think through their choices and the potential consequences of each option. Then let them make a decision based on these thought processes. Do this with younger children too, as the more this critical thinking is repeated, the more it becomes second nature to them. Teens have a tendency to be impulsive and not think about the potential consequences of their actions, or what other options may be available to them. Supporting their learning of this process can help them to minimise risky behaviour, or engage in safer risk-taking activities.
Finally, don’t be too hard on your teens or yourself. While parenting teens is a hard gig, it can be tremendously rewarding and a lot of fun too. Do things together, have fun and don’t forget to have a laugh – at yourself is best!
