What can I do to be a good parent for my early adolescent child? Show Parents often become less involved in the lives of their children as they enter the middle grades. But your young adolescent needs as much attention and love from you as he needed when he was younger—and maybe more. A good relationship with you or with other adults is the best safeguard your child has as he grows and explores. By the time he reaches adolescence, you and he will have had years of experience with each other; the parent of today's toddler is parent to tomorrow's teenager. Your relationship with your child may change-in fact, it almost certainly must change—however, as she develops the skills required to be a successful adult. These changes can be rewarding and welcome. As your middle school child makes mental and emotional leaps, your conversations will grow richer. As her interests develop and deepen, she may begin to teach you—how to slug a baseball, what is happening with the city council or county board or why a new book is worth reading. America is home to people with a great variety of attitudes, opinions and values. Americans have different ideas and priorities, which can affect how we choose to raise our children. Across these differences, however, research has shown that being effective parents involves the following qualities:
There are no perfect parents. However, a bad decision or an "off" day (or week or month) isn't likely to have any lasting impact on your child. What's most important in being an effective parent is what you do over time. < Previous page | ^ Top ^ | Next page > Last Modified: 09/11/2003 What are the role of the family in adolescent development?Your family can build and support your child's confidence, resilience, optimism and identity. When your family sets rules, boundaries and standards of behaviour, you give your child a sense of consistency, predictability, safety and belonging.
What is the significance of a positive parental behavior in the life of an adolescent?Positive parenting predicts development of adolescent amygdala and prefrontal cortex. Positive parenting has a unique influence on adolescent brain development. Positive and negative parenting are not opposite sides of a continuum. Parenting interventions may promote healthy adolescent brain development.
How parents influence you as an adolescent?As a parent, you influence your child's basic values, like religious values, and issues related to their future, like educational choices. And the stronger your relationship with your child, the more influence you'll have, because your child will be more likely to seek your guidance and value your opinion and support.
How can parents support healthy adolescent development?Provide teens with the tools to try new things within safe boundaries. Encourage them to learn from their mistakes. Remind them of your presence and help if needed as they work to recover from their missteps. Help them continue preparing for challenges they'll face in the future.
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