by Sarah V.

Created on: March 31, 2007   Last Updated: April 28, 2007

Today too many parents have problems connecting and relating to their teenager. What makes the problem even worse is the mere fact that most parents try to discipline before they try to relate or evaluate accurately the action taken by the teenager before reprimanding their adolescent. The truth is that most adolescence often feel misunderstood by their parents; some of them also feel that they can not tell their parents anything because they will over react. Some of them try to protect their parents because they think their parents cannot handle learning certain things about them.

Once a teenager develops these feelings about their parents then the communication will definitely change and sometimes even stop. The last thing any parent wants for his or her teenage son or daughter is for them to not communicate, or out right shut them out of their private lives. Some teenagers start to lie about the things they are doing especially when it is something his or her parent might not condone of. Sometimes what they may be doing might not be negative but since there is a cultural difference in age the parent might feel like the things teenagers engage in are wrong in every way. When we as parents are too traditional in disciplining it usually does not play in our favor. Although being strict may have its benefits it can also backfire depending on the adolescent.
One of the most important things is to know your teenager well. Know how they will act and react to certain types of discipline. Watch their habits and think back to what type of character he or she had as a child. Sometimes it pays to let your adolescent talk and finishes with no interruptions. If you find out that your sixteen year old has tattoos that you did not even know about, then this is a sign that you may have pushed them so far away by cursing people who have these markings when your child who is their own individual, thinks it is beautiful. When you find out something so drastic, take a moment to think of why and what made them keep it from you especially if he or she never expressed an interest in these things; is this a behavior you want them to continue?
Another way to keep up to date with your teenagers' life is to try to accept their feelings on certain things and realize that they are their own person. Ask them questions but not too many to where they think that you are prying. Use other methods outside of snooping and questions to obtain information from you teen. Hold open discussions with

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