You must provide your teenager with as much freedom as possible. This will stop them from rebelling and aiming their frustrations with the world solely at you and will also help you concentrate on other areas of your life, even if that means younger offspring.
There are ways in which you can boost your teen’s confidence and help them feel more grown up while still being able to watch them and advise them from a distance.
#1 Encourage Them to Seek Employment
Pushing them out into the world and having them seek employment may seem a bit hard, but you and they will very quickly realise the advantages of having a bit of financial freedom from the bank account of mum and dad.
For one, they will not be asking you for money, the flip side of which they will not have you or your spouse wanting to know what they have to spend it on or what they need it for. Secondly, it will provide them with a feeling of independence, which when tasted will not want to be given up.
#2 Teach Them the Basics of Cooking
You should also teach them the basics of cooking. Too many individuals do not know how to cook for themselves, which results in purchasing unhealthy prepacked dinners and food items to just shove in the oven. These foods are full of preservatives, salt, and sugars that are less than helpful in delivering the nutrients that the human body needs to stay at its best and healthiest.
Being able to cook a basic tomato sauce from fresh ingredients and from scratch will mean that they will be able to cook a mixture of Italian dishes, and some Mexican, such as chilli, just by adding different spices and a few twists in ingredients, such as adding kidney beans, for instance.
#3 Pay for Driving Lessons
Of course, the real boost of independence comes with the use of a car (and not mum or dad’s taxi service). Undoubtedly, your teen will have to be of the age that they can legally drive a car and have a provisional driver’s license. Then, the next step is to have driving lessons. These can be quite expensive, so your teen must select their instructor and book just a couple of lessons to start with. This way, if there is a personality clash or the driving instructor is less than suitable, there can be changes made that do not include you losing a lot of money in prepaid lessons.
To help your teen get through their driving test as quickly as possible, they are going to need lots of practice. This could be carried out in your car. However, it is much more advantageous for your teen to practice in their own car. This will cement the bond that they will have with their car and mean that they are also getting to grips with where all the controls are.
Naturally, you are not going to want to pay out for a brand-spanking new car straight from the manufacturers but are more likely going to settle for a used car. Involving your teen in the car search will again promote the feeling of independence, but you will have to set a budget limit and stress that your vote is the final word. You will then be able to look forward to a fun day traveling around your local garages, such as used cars livingston, to find a suitable vehicle that pleases both yourself and your teen.
Final Thoughts
Helping your teen feel more independent will be the best thing that you do for both your and your teen’s sanity. The teenage years can be hard on all concerned thanks to hormones and the stress of moving out of the childhood years and into the world of adults. Every help that you can give will be of benefit, even if your teen doesn’t think so at the time.
