If you want it, you’ve got to give it…it goes both ways… R-E-S-P-E-C-T

Published on September 25, 2013November 20, 2013 by Anne Clarkson

By z6p6tist6 on Flickr

Building a loving relationship with your teen includes mutual respect. The respect you get from your child will reflect the respect you give your child. How you react to your teen in tough situations like disagreements is critical to how they treat you and others.

Be an eParent®! Show respect for your child. After a disagreement, text a message to your child saying you value and take seriously their opinion, even when you disagree with it. Create a code just between you and your child…LHU4MK (Love Having You For My Kid) or L&RA (Love & Respect Always) that you use just with them.

Communication skills are not only vital to your relationship with your teen, but important for his or her healthy development. Your teen is experimenting with new ideas and new opinions (that may be different from yours). After a disagreement or heated discussion, let them know that things are still ok between the two of you. This acceptance helps them learn and understand the complexities of mature relationships.

Read how texting can open communication between parents and teens.

To learn more contact UW-Extension Family Living Programs or like Family Living on Facebook.

Categorized: Love & Communicate, Mobile Devices, Social & Emotional

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“Everything that can be counted does not necessarily count; everything that counts cannot necessarily be counted.” -Albert Einstein

In other words, it is not always what we see that matters as our teens go out into the world. Every day your teen is confronted with making decisions that could have positive or negative outcomes. Meaningful morals, values, ethics, and belief systems are things that children look to their parents for guidance throughout their lives. Be an eParent®! Bookmark your favorite websites that explore your family values and share them with your teen! Another great mind, Anna Freud wrote in 1958, �

Ever feel left out when your teen talks about tweets, blogs or IM? Wish you stood a chance playing a video game with your teen?

As parents, we may not understand or even like the activities that capture our teen’s interest, but curiosity and engagement are stepping-stones to learning. By interacting with our teens around their interests, we can support their curiosity and encourage other interests. Be an eParent®! Appreciate your teen’s new skills, interests and abilities. Ask your teen to help you set up a Facebook, Twitter or other social media account. In the teenage years, children’s interests shift and inte