by Rubab Hamdani

Created on: August 03, 2009   Last Updated: August 04, 2009

At every stage in your child's life you have to give your input to keep them on track and out of trouble. Being a parent is the toughest and the most demanding job in the world and when you have to parent a teenager it becomes truly challenging. As a teenager, your child is going through the most difficult phase of his/her life, tethering on the brink of adulthood but without the insight and wisdom of a grownup that comes with experience, he/she will find life pretty frustrating. For teenagers life is a very serious business, the problems and pressures that burden them cannot be ignored. As an adult you may find your teenage kid fickle, vain or silly but remember how you were when you were their ages. Not having the right dress for a party is the end of the world for a teenager, how to be popular among peers is a problem serious than Iraq war for your teenage kid, not being invited to a party is like social death, finding out that their best friend did not confide in them is like they have lost their life support, their girlfriend/ boyfriend is leaving town and they feel devastated or not having matching jewelry to go with their dress ruins the whole fun , well lets admit it we have all been through this, do not expect your kid to be different from you or from other kids around the block.

As one grows up one may forget the inflictions of teenage but then your teenage children are there to walk you down memory lane and remind you of all those unsavory moments when you were also flighty and prone to exaggeration. But as a parent to a teenage you need to exercise caution and vigilance as this is a very critical stage in your child's life which will define his adulthood, deal with his/her teenage whims with patience and wisdom. Here are a few guidelines that may help all of us who are in the process of rearing up a new generation of wise, sensible and morally upright members of the society and the world at large:

Always trust your child. Let them know that you trust them to do the right thing and even if they make a mistake or two do not send them on a guilt trip, forbearance will reap sweet rewards. As long as your kid knows that you trust him/her they will think twice before indulging in an act that can shatter your trust. You may not know it but every teenager covets trust and confidence from their parents.

Keep a close eye on your kid and his friends without them being consciously aware of that fact. If your kid is at a friend's place just causally drive

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