Why the tween years are a ‘golden opportunity’ to set up the way you parent teenagers

Credit: Shutterstock The teenage years can be among the trickiest times for a parent. You have been used to being your child’s voice of reason. Then, all of a sudden, your authority is challenged by their peers, social media and huge developmental changes. But the good news is children aged ten to 12 are still more influenced by their parents than their friends. This makes it the ideal time for parents to establish parenting practices that will set the tone for when their child crosses over into adolescence. Our research In a recent study , colleagues and I looked at the perspectives, needs and behaviors of 2,600 Victorian parents. This was part of a study, run every three years, which aims to build a better understanding of parenting today. A key finding was parents of teenagers reported they were less confident about their parenting than parents of younger children. Parents of teenagers also reported greater levels of concern about their children’s behavior, including how to manage their child’s use of technology. Parents of teens were less likely to use positive discipline methods they had previously used such as praise and rewards for good behavior. They also said they felt […]

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