How to Help Your Teen Confidently Enter Adulthood

It’s time for your teen to enter adulthood and take on new responsibilities. This can be a scary and confusing transition, so it’s essential that you help them feel confident about their new life ahead. In this article, we will give you some tips on making the transition into adulthood less daunting.

DO

Give Your Teen Advice

Giving your teen advice about becoming an adult will help them feel less scared about what to do in certain situations. If you build a strong connection with your teen, they will look up to you for advice. They will feel comfortable asking you questions and learning from your mistakes.

Stay in Touch

It’s essential to keep the lines of communication open with your teen. Once they move out of the house, you can try video chats or phone calls instead of texting them all day long. Unplugging every once and a while will teach your teen how to live without their devices too.

Encourage Them to Find a Part-Time Job

Having some type of income will teach your teen how to manage money and budget carefully. They can use this newfound responsibility as motivation for their future, too.

Support Their Decisions

If your teen wants to make a change in their life, be supportive. Whether they want to try new classes or go back to school, later on, let them know that you will always have their back.

Teach Them the Importance of Learning

While your teen is still in high school, you can instill in them a passion for learning. This will benefit them throughout their career. Enrolling them in a college preparatory school can allow them to develop the skills they need to be successful in college and throughout life. 

DON’T

Don’t Smother Them

While it’s good to give your teen advice from time to time, give your teen space to grow and make their own decisions. Letting go is the best way for you to help them become more independent. For example, if they get in trouble, it’s better to let the authorities deal with the situation rather than take matters into your own hands.

Don’t Be a Helicopter Parent

Even though you want to protect and help your teen, don’t overdo it. Being too protective can make them feel like they aren’t mature enough for adulthood. Letting your teen make their own decisions is the best way to help them become more independent.

This advice is sure to help ease the transition into adulthood and give your teen an extra boost of confidence as well. They can now tackle this next chapter full of excitement because they know that they have great support from the family behind them.

By Emma Sturgis