Are you confused about how to parent your kids effectively?

You’re not alone. Parenting today is a challenge like no other. The world is changing so quickly that there is no template for parents to follow of what is effective in parenting.

As a result, we are often left using techniques from the past or playing a guessing game of how to parent, particularly when it comes to our teens.

With the constant exposure to social media and the world at their finger tips, our kids present a totally different parenting challenge than we have ever known.

One of the biggest issues that I am seeing as a Counsellor these days, is teenagers with identity and self-esteem problems.

Why are our kids struggling so much with their own identities?

How come they  are they developing eating disorders, drug and alcohol problems at such a young age?

Why are they so disrespectful to parents and other adults?

Parents have a challenge like no other today navigating the path with their teens.

In an effort to support our kids, some parents will helicopter, others will try and be a best friend, some will keep a tight reign, and then others will allow everything. Some will find a balance.

Every parent is parenting with an abundance of love and is trying their best to raise their kids in the best way they can.

But without the right knowledge and tools, even the best attempts may not be effective.

Taking the time to get some help in how to approach parenting in a healthy way can make home life so much easier and enjoyable for everyone.

The other focus we have as parents now is teens and their phones, social media and the vast amount of information they are exposed to. There is no ‘right’ way to manage this difficult time, we work towards what is going to be effective (and safe), for your teen and your family.

Lately I have worked with many ‘difficult’ teens. What we learnt was that changing a few things at home in the parent/child relationship can make an immense difference. Talking to both the teen and the parents separately and then helping to bridge that communication gap has been effective for families.

Learn healthy ways to provide love, self-esteem, discipline, rules, boundaries, consequences, communication and respect with your children. This will help to set your kids up for a healthy future that you can help guide and nurture.

When it comes to teens, our focus becomes how to support them and still keep safe boundaries as they learn who they are, how they fit in and navigate their way into the adult world with a healthy self-esteem.

I will help parents understand their teens. What are they really thinking? What challenges are they facing?

This is an area that I work closely with to help change. A teen with a healthy self-view is usually an easier teen to parent. Teens are generally really comfortable with video counselling too. After all, they tend to live on their technology!