As your children grow, everything seems more important — mistakes have bigger consequences, peers can be a bigger negative influence, and there is potential for embarrassment on social media.
All of those things are real concerns.
As a response, many parents shift into “hypervigilant panic mode.”
They drill their children for answers. They hover over homework completion. They tighten the house rules and expectations.
This all comes from a well-meaning place. You love your children and want the absolute best for them. You don’t want to see them fail or struggle. And you definitely don’t want them to become distant.
Unfortunately, “panic-mode” usually backfires.
Instead of keeping your children close, they start to push back and pull away.
Thankfully, there are a few alternatives that will keep the communication with your tween or teen open and your relationship strong.