Parenting Your Teen

Aurelia Williams is a Moms Talk Radio show host. Her show is Parenting My Teen. Aurelia has been a guest two times on my show and I’ve always appreciated her no-nonsense wisdom. I decided to ask her a few questions about her podcast.

- Tell me what you hope parents will gain from your show

First and foremost I want parents to gain the feeling of SUPPORT! I find that a lot of parents of teenagers feel so helpless and very alone when it comes to issues surrounding parenting their teens so I really want all parents to gain some support from the show. That feeling of “Wow, I am not alone” or “Wow, I know just how that person feels” is really comforting to any parent and it is something that I pride myself in providing. Knowledge is also something that I want all parents to gain. I love being able to share my expertise and have other experts on the show to really tackle some of the tough issues. It is with support and knowledge that parents grow and learn in order to better raise their children.

- What is the biggest challenge parents face raising teens?

The Biggest (wow that’s a hard one). While there are many challenges to choose from I would say Understanding your teen would be the biggest challenge. It truly is hard to watch your teenager make choices that are just “out there” and still try to understand them. It really is hard for a lot of parents to think back to their own teenage years and remember how confusing, hormonal and pressure-filled those tender years were.

Many times parents really think their teens are just crazy.. and at times, they may act that way (LOL) so understanding the “How’s and Why’s” of your teen I believe is the biggest challenge.

- How can a parent of young kids like myself pave the way now for a healthier teen/parent relationship?

I love this question because that means that you (and other parents) are looking towards the future. I would say that from the very beginning to always allow your child to come to you and just be themselves, talk, ask questions..etc. Raising your child in an open and loving way automatically opens the lines of communication and as your child grows, so does that communication. So I would suggest asking your children questions, showing them you are concerned and that their likes and dislikes are also important to you.

For instance if you have a little boy that just LOVES the Power Rangers, get on the floor and openly play and talk to him. It seems like such a small thing but really, open communication and letting your child know that you are always there is key. That’s something that will stay with your child until adulthood.

- What is one thing parents can do daily to establish good communication with their teen?

Listen Daily. Yes, just listen. When your teen comes to you with a problem, please be open to listen, hear them out and not interrupt their flow of the conversation. What this does automatically is let them know that you are there and you are willing to hear them out. This then encourages them to talk more and open up more to you. Try not to belittle and criticize at all, that is very damaging and to be honest teens do that far too much on their own so, as a parent we should steer clear from it.

Letting your teen know you are there to talk/listen in a non-judgmental way is the best thing that you can do. Daily I would suggest that you ask your child how their day was, sit down and talk about “their world”, have a one on one “fun day” with your teen. You’ll be surprised how much they open up when they are comfortable.

- We always hear negative things, what’s one of the positives of raising teenagers?

The fact that you are preparing a young adult for full adulthood is positive! That is the one thing that gets me through parenting my 2 teens. Knowing that everything thing I do, say and portray to them will have a lasting impact into their journey to adulthood is a HUGE positive for me. That means to me that I am contributing to the Universe the way that God intended me to do. Teens are fun, loving and very complex but with the right parenting you have the absolute joy of seeing them off into the “real world” of life.

Thanks Aurelia! Check out Aurelia’s ebook on Family Time here.