![\"Teens](\"https:\/\/jonathanbrooker.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2013\/02\/Teens-Tips-700x461.jpg\")
<\/p>\nAfter a couple of years in full time youth ministry I\u2019ve figured out that teens don\u2019t like having their parents on their backs. And that most parents don\u2019t really make it their life mission to be a pain in the butt to their kids. (I know, rocket science here!) Usually it all boils down to misunderstanding, but sometimes you get to that after<\/i><\/b> the doors have been slammed and the words have been yelled.<\/p>\n
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But if there were 7 tips that I could give to teens to help them get their parents off their back by building a healthier relationship with them, here\u2019s what they\u2019d be:<\/p>\n
The absolute #1 complaint of parents with teenagers is that they just don\u2019t know what\u2019s going on. Shouldn\u2019t surprise you. It feels like an interrogation before you even leave the house sometimes. \u201cWhere are you going? Who\u2019s going with you? When will you be getting there? When will you be getting back? Who\u2019s driving? What exactly will you be doing?<\/i>\u201d And the questions go on and on. Next time you want to do something, before your parent even begins to ask questions, lay it all out there. Tell them all the details of what you\u2019ll be doing. It may seem unnecessary to you, but it\u2019ll not only communicate details of your plans to your parents. It\u2019ll also communicate a real sense of maturity in you!<\/p>\n2. \u00a0Hang out with them.<\/h3>\n
Ok, maybe not your favorite of the seven. Then again, for some of you, maybe it is. Either way, put in some face time with your family and watch how that helps you have a better relationship with them. Too many teens think they\u2019re better off just avoiding their family. Problem is that doesn\u2019t work. Instead of avoiding them, try spending time with them to help them to understand you and maybe you\u2019ll even start to \u201cget\u201d them a bit more too.<\/p>\n
Even literally, someone can\u2019t really be on top of you<\/em> if they\u2019re beside you<\/em>. It\u2019s just really hard to do unless you\u2019re some yoga pro or something. So if you want your parents to \u201cget off\u201d you then why not try getting them beside you. What I mean is, share with them what\u2019s going on in your life. And also ask them about what\u2019s going on in theirs. Make your parents your allies rather than your enemies.<\/p>\n Doesn\u2019t take a genius to figure out that you don\u2019t trust people when they lie to you, so neither will your parents if you lie to them. Sure you\u2019ll be tempted to bend the truth to get your way at some point, but just realize that you\u2019re giving your parents a license without restriction to get right on top of your back!<\/p>\n If you\u2019re around someone long enough you start to figure out what makes them tick. You probably know what unique things irritate your brother or sister. The same goes for mom and dad. So you know that your mom hates when you raise your voice. As much as you may want to, keep your voice calm when talking to her. You know your dad goes ballistic when you haven\u2019t taken out the trash. Remember, as best you can, to take that trash out. Knowing your parents\u2019 buttons gives you keys to keeping things pleasant, so take advantage of those keys.<\/p>\n Sometimes it\u2019s not what you\u2019re asking for or what you\u2019ve done, necessarily, that sets your parents off. Sometimes it\u2019s just that you\u2019ve withdrawn more than you\u2019ve really invested into the family bank. What I mean is, every family has this unseen bank where the good things you do and say go in as deposits and the bad things you do as well as requests you make can be withdrawals. Have you ever had your parents out of nowhere say, \u201cYou\u2019re always going to _______\u2019s house! Why can\u2019t you just stay here?!<\/i>\u201d That\u2019s a clue that your account is getting low and that you may need to make some more deposits before you try to get a withdrawal. Arguing at that point isn\u2019t going to change the bank account. Only investing will.<\/p>\n We end with one of the most basic and (quite honestly) sure-fire tips here. It\u2019s much <\/i><\/b>more difficult for anyone (this includes parents) to be on your case when you\u2019re serving them. 9 times out of 10, I bet you your parents are \u201cgetting on your back\u201d because they feel unappreciated or disrespected. When you serve them you\u2019re proving otherwise. Washing the dishes, helping your sister with her homework, taking the trash out, cleaning your room, helping to cook dinner, feeding the dog – doing these simple things proves you\u2019re willing to help and that you\u2019re not just looking for everything to be done for you. And that <\/i>will most certainly help make your family environment better.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Teenage life is dramatic and difficult enough as it is. So it helps to have the best relationship you can with your parents. You can\u2019t control what they do, but I think you can make it easier to get them on your side rather than on your back if you do these simple things.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n These are some of my tips. Are there any that you have to share as well?<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"4. \u00a0Honesty really is the best policy.<\/h3>\n
5. \u00a0Know the buttons and don\u2019t push them.<\/h3>\n
6. \u00a0Build up interest in your family bank.<\/h3>\n
7. \u00a0Serve.<\/h3>\n