Teenage daughters! For many, this is the toughest time in a girl’s life and also a parent’s life. Teenagers undergo tremendous pressure in school to fit in. And if they don’t fit in, many teenagers experience psychological difficulties. As parents, we can try to set good examples and talk to our children about drugs, sex, the difference between right and wrong, respect for others, religion, etc. But many teenagers just don’t listen and seem to do the opposite of what you are telling them.
As parents, we need to listen to our teenage daughter. If she actually opens up enough to tell you something dreadful, like she tried some form of a drug, don’t overreact. If your reaction is to start screaming, throw up your hands, and ground her, your child will probably never share anything of importance with you again. And these things are important! They give you a bit of an edge in understanding how safe your teenager is and might even help you to know when she is in real danger. It is not pleasant to hear your daughter tell you something that could potentially harm her and maybe is illegal, but it is imperative that your teenage daughter knows she can count on your support if she needs it.
And sex is always a tough subject. In this day and age, sex is extremely prevalent among teenagers. If your teen is hard to control, does not seem to want to talk to you, and you find evidence that she is having sex, it might be time to try something else in addition to talking because you know she is not listening. She is most likely doing whatever she wants when you are not around. And teenagers try to ensure that you are not around most of the time. So instead of just worrying about the possibility of a teenage pregnancy, it might be wise to put your teenage daughter on some form of birth control. This does not mean you condone birth control for teenagers. It means you know you are losing the “talking sense into her head” battle, and want her to get through these years without a pregnancy that could adversely affect the rest of her life.
Be a parent, try to teach your children, guide them as best you can along this difficult path of teenage years. But be sure to keep the lines of communication open. Getting through those years safe, both physically and emotionally, is most important to you and your daughter.