Doctors may have an idea. They possibly know part of it.
Schools will know a bit. Mainly about school things.
And you don’t have the exact answer either.
What you do have is a unique vantage point – you are the person who has known your adolescent all their life. You know what makes them tick. And you will have an insight into the things that will, and won’t, work for them.
You know their uniqueness. The things they love. The things they hate. How they put two-and-two together. And that knowledge is invaluable. Share it. Reflect it back to your teen. Share it with the professionals.
Help your adolescent to understand who they are now, which points them in the direction of who they are becoming. If your adolescent is stuck in a place that doesn’t work for them, guide them gently towards the options you know would have appealed to them when they were younger.
Making choices that affect the outcomes for their lives can feel incredibly overwhelming to our rangatahi, the responsibility sits heavily on their shoulders and weighs on their minds. Keep talking, especially if they are making choices and decisions you know are not going to serve them in the long run.
Our adolescents need us, as fully responsible and fully functioning parents, in their lives. The adult to whom they can turn when they have something weighty to discuss, as well as something trivial to talk about. The parent who is able to provide a safe space for them to share their fears, worries, hopes, and dreams.
You are the person who holds the keys your adolescent needs. The time for you to step up fully into your role is now. This may feel challenging, given all the changes in the world right now, making it even more important for you to own your role. To be the parent they need.
You may need to add a few new parenting skills to your tool belt. So do that. And be the change your adolescent needs you to be – the parent who is wholehearted in their relationship with their adolescent, encouraging them and showing them how to live their best life.
There are a number of ways you can work with me to make changes that inspire you. Follow this link to book a connection call and find your best way forward. Book your call now and discover how to make change work for you, and for your adolescent.