by Rachelle de Bretagne

Created on: November 23, 2008   Last Updated: January 21, 2009

Do you, as a reader and parent, remember the beginning of the transition between childhood and adulthood? For boys, it means discovering for themselves feelings and emotions that are new and exciting. For girls, it means turning into a woman. What many parents forget is the indecision of adolescence, and the questions posed by a teen to themselves, in their bid to find out who they are. The areas covered by this article are intended to help a parent understand where the borders lie when balancing parenting with privacy in different areas of family life, in order to achieve long lasting bonds and the respect of your child reaching adulthood.

*Space.

*Personal hygiene.

*Being there without imposing.

*Musical tastes and noise levels.

*Friendships and intimacy.

*Curfew.

*Getting to know the adult who emerges.

Space.

A child going through stages which make them question if they are normal cannot cope with a parent's inquisition. They have enough on their plate about discovering themselves. Boys grow into men, and girls into women, and some of the physical changes they find themselves going through are frightening. What they need is space. They need the privacy of their room assured. That feeling that they are safe within their home and that they can trust those around them is every bit as important as your need to be able to trust the child.

If you teach a child in early teens to accept the bodily changes they will experience, and educate them to acceptance of the challenges of growing up with an informed approach, giving them the space they need should never be a problem. Those parents who are ill informed and worry about their teens are usually those who worry about the teen learning about life elsewhere, though do little to educate the child on subjects they find uncomfortable. If a boy's curiosity means that he chooses to read magazines you would disapprove of, those are his choices. If a girl tries lipsticks and make-up techniques within her room, let her. Within the space of their room, they should be able to be themselves, and parental expectation should allow them the space they need to find out who they are as growing people.

Personal hygiene.

Girls don't enjoy being tackled for dirty habits, and if educated in advance will handle the discomfort and difficulties encountered during menstruation. However, think of the child who has no knowledge of what is happening to her body and there is little wonder that teens often hide what they feel to be shameful. Teaching kids

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