Raising a teenage boy can be tough. You might not know how to talk to him, what makes him tick, and its especially difficult to figure out the perfect gifts for 14 year old boys. The good news is that there are some life hacks for raising teen boys that will make your job easier! This article will discuss six of the most helpful ones that I’ve found in my experience as a parent with two sons. Whether your son is going through puberty or still acts like an angel, these tips should help you get through each day successfully!
1. Don’t Try to Be Their Friend
This is a very common mistake that parents make. Teenagers want to be treated like adults, and they don’t appreciate it when you try to interfere with their lives. If your son gets in trouble at school, visit the principal or his teacher but do not give him advice on what he should say during the meeting. I would recommend staying completely out of it, or he might think you’re trying to undermine his authority! The same thing goes for talking about girls – no matter how much you know about them yourself, let your child figure things out by himself so he can learn from his mistakes instead of yours. Letting your teen take some risks will help build up confidence while teaching responsibility along the way!
2. Be a Parent First and Foremost
In my experience, teenagers are much more likely to listen to their parents when they’re not distracted by friends or other activities. Even if your son is busy with a sport or taking music lessons after school, you should still set aside some time for him every day, so he knows that being family always comes first! My husband and I have been the only constants in our son’s lives – we’ve both taken turns traveling for work while juggling a full-time job at home. It’s tough, but it has paid off because our boys know who loves them unconditionally!
3. Set Clear Expectations and Boundaries
Regardless of his age, your son needs to know what he’s expected to do at home and in school. This includes chores like taking out the trash or helping mow the lawn and rules about limits on video game time and encouraging them to do outside activities. If there are certain behaviors that you don’t want him engaging in – including swearing, drinking alcohol, fighting with siblings, etc. make sure they’re clear, so it doesn’t give your boy an excuse when things go wrong!
4. Show Them How to do Things for Themselves
A few years ago, my husband decided it was time to teach our oldest son how to change the oil in his car. They spent an entire day at home changing everything from spark plugs to brake pads and even got a head start on winterizing the engine for next year! When I asked him why he did that, my husband replied, “If you want someone you can trust driving your car, then they need to know what’s under the hood!” Today both boys are still learning about cars, but their Dad has built up so much trust because of this one experience – something neither of them will ever forget.
As far as chores go, make sure your teen knows how to cook dinner or wash dishes without expecting you to do all of it for them. This will go a long way in helping them feel confident when living on their own one day!
5. Teach Them about Money Management
I know many parents who wait to talk about money with their children until they either win the lottery or get a first job – and that’s not enough. Even if you can’t afford for your teen to have his car yet, he still needs to understand how much everything costs, so he doesn’t overspend on those $100 jeans at the mall! At some point in time, we all need someone else (a parent, teacher, etc.) to explain what credit cards are and why it isn’t always best used when you don’t have any cash on hand. When my oldest son was 13 years old, I showed him our family budget, which included projected monthly bills like mortgage and utility bills and expenses like groceries and gas. I explained to him how everything added up to buy all the things we needed without going into debt!
6. Make Sure They Know what’s Expected of Them at All Times
Even with clear expectations established, it’s still important that you tell your teen what is expected of them. If they’re supposed to be home by curfew but are running late – don’t leave him waiting at the front door for 30 minutes before calling out, “We thought you were dead!” Helping your 15 year old find his way around town is great when he has a license and can drive himself places which means no more asking Dad or me!
No matter how much freedom we give our teens, there will always be consequences if certain rules aren’t followed, so teach them now why being responsible matters in life.
Raising a son is more than just making sure they know how to play sports and do well in school. It’s about teaching them the skills and values that will prepare them for life as adults, both at home and out in the world. We hope this list of tips on raising teen boys has been helpful!
