Parenting at any stage comes with its fair share of challenges, but once your children hit their teenage years, those challenges often become more complex. Navigating this phase requires more than just patience; it demands strategies to help both you and your teen thrive. From practicing self-care to learning how to set boundaries, parents need to focus on their own well-being to better support their teens. By adopting effective coping strategies, you can stay emotionally available, manage stress, and create a healthy home environment.
6 Coping Strategies For Parents of Teenagers
1. Make Self-Care a Priority
Parents are often overworked and overscheduled with a million things on their to-do lists. Many feel as though there’s simply not enough time in the day to tend to their own needs. Others may feel guilty about spending time on themselves when they could be cleaning the kitchen, folding laundry or working on dinner. However, by putting yourself at the bottom of your priority list, you’re also modeling this unhealthy behavior for your children, which may affect them as they get older. By caring for yourself in the same way you care for them, they can see what it means to be a healthy adult and take care of their own needs as they grow.
2. Make Time for Your Own Interests
As your kids become teenagers, they start needing you a whole lot less than they did when they were young in some ways. This frees up extra time for you to explore new hobbies or revisit older ones that may have fallen by the wayside. Your role as a parent is changing, so it’s important to find new interests to fill up your time and help you rediscover who you are as an individual. If it’s difficult to find time to enjoy your hobbies at the end of the day, try to wake up earlier to carve out space for them. If you love running but usually feel too tired by the evening, lay out your workout gear before bed and wake up thirty minutes earlier for an early morning jog. By prioritizing your hobbies and cultivating your self-identity, your mental health will benefit, enabling you to be more patient, present, and supportive to your teenagers as they need you.
3. Try Not To Sweat the Small Stuff
While you shouldn’t give your teenagers a free pass to be rude, mean, or spiteful, you also should try not to “sweat the small stuff.” Sometimes, teenagers are so preoccupied with how a situation affects them that they may not realize how their behaviors come across to others. The next time they roll their eyes at you or say something sarcastic (and it’s not over something major), remind them that you are a person with feelings. You could simply say, “Hey, that was hurtful,” or “That hurt my feelings.” By not directly calling them out on their actions and instead reminding them that what they say matters, you won’t have every misstep become a major incident. Using these moments as teachable moments instead of immediately getting upset and confrontational may also positively affect the mood of the entire household.
4. Practice Mindfulness Techniques
Parenting teenagers is challenging for many reasons, primarily because the changes your child goes through are occurring all at once. Cognitive, emotional, physical, and social changes happen quickly during middle and high school years, and parents have the power to choose how they will respond to this stress. One of the best stress reduction techniques parents can use to help regulate their own emotions is mindfulness. Mindfulness is a technique in which you try to focus on the present moment and prevent your thoughts from wandering as you concentrate on your breathing patterns. For those unfamiliar with the technique, mindfulness may seem strange. However, research shows that parents who learn these techniques may become more aware of their own emotional responses when engaged with their teenagers, which can positively affect their parenting skills and relationship with their children.
5. Let Go of the Parenting Reins and Breathe
Your teenagers will be faced with many challenges as they get older. While it’s tempting to try to step in and handle every little situation that comes their way, it’s also important for your sake and theirs to allow them room to grow. As teenagers become more independent, they may not want your advice or for you to step in to do things for them if they are facing an academic or social problem. By stepping back and letting them take charge, they can learn how to handle life’s problems, and you can take a breather. After all, there’s no room for your teenagers to mature if you continue to intervene when things go awry.
6. Consider Seeing a Therapist
Being a parent is overwhelming, and reaching out for help is okay if you’re struggling. You can’t be the best parent you can be for your teenager if you’re having difficulties in your own personal or professional life. If you’re finding it hard to cope with stress, parenting, and other challenges, schedule an appointment with a therapist. By seeking counseling, you can learn positive coping mechanisms, become more self-aware of your emotional struggles, and become a more patient and understanding caregiver. Also, by going to therapy, you are showing your teenager that it’s okay to seek help when you’re struggling. They may even come to you with things they are currently struggling with and open up about their own desire to seek counseling.
Conclusion: Coping Strategies for Parents of Teens
Although it may not seem like it at times, your teenagers truly care about your well-being. They might roll their eyes or ask you to drop them off a block away from school, but they still notice how you handle challenges. When parents use effective coping strategies—like practicing mindfulness, letting go of control, or taking time for yourself—teens benefit from a more stable and supportive environment. By managing your stress and staying emotionally balanced, you’re not only helping yourself, but also modeling important life skills for your teenagers. In the end, your approach to coping directly impacts how they navigate their own challenges.
