4 ways to get closer to your teenage kids

As parents, your job is to guide your children. That means keeping them safe, offering good advice and making yourself aware of how they are feeling and what they are going through. Here are some ways to build a closer relationship with your teenage kids.

Teenagers need space to figure out their own identities and they also need to carve out their own path in life.

• As hard as it can be to accept the fact that your kids need distance, giving it to them helps them realize that they are in charge of their own lives.
• By giving them space sometimes, they won't resent you for controlling them and will find it easier to come to you when they need you.

• Teenage kids care a lot about how they look in front of their friends.
• Don't show too much affection toward your kids in front of their friends, or you may risk embarrassing them.
• Displays of affection are important but best kept in the family, so try to wait until kids are away from their friends to pepper them with hugs and kisses.

• Some kids just don't like being hugged or kissed at all when they get into their teenage years.
• As parents, you can modify the way you show affection to your kids using tactics other than smothering them with hugs and kisses.
• You can try things like playing video games with them, reading together at the end of the day or watching a television show together.
• Sometimes just sharing the same space with your kids is as good as showing affection in other ways.

• For teens, it's showing up that matters most.
• Teens need parents to stay actively engaged in their daily lives, and to show up for the important moments.
• That means being present at sporting events, eating dinner together, being there to encourage them when they are doubting themselves and just generally supporting them without being asked.

We all need positive interactions with others to maintain healthy and satisfying relationships . Children will be more likely to follow your advice and respect your values ​​after establishing a solid relationship .

We all need positive interactions with others to maintain healthy and satisfying relationships. Teenagers are more likely to follow your advice and respect your values if you establish a solid relationship.