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Article 5 Tips For Improving Your Relationship With Your Teenage Daughter

By: Janoel Liddy and Rosemary Colston, Step into Womanhood
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125 Comments

Adolescence is a time that can create strain in the parent-child relationship. Puberty can bring an abundance of mixed emotions, while your daughter’s teenage years are also a time when she is building her independence. This may result in your teenage daughter developing a world view that is dramatically different to your own. Here are 5 Tips for improving your relationship with your teenage daughter. A must read for all mums…

While your daughter’s teenage years may be hard for both of you, there are steps you can take to smooth her transition into womanhood.

Here are 5 Tips for improving your relationship with your teenage daughter:

1. Cultivate healthy arguing:

Teens typically perceive an argument to be far less destructive than their parents do. Indeed research indicates that arguing is a sign of respect, whereby the teen believes that they have a chance of being heard by their parents which may result in a concession to the rules in their favour. If your child doesn’t argue, they are probably more inclined to lie.

2. Recognise that teenagers will lie to their parents:

Research into lying behaviour suggests that 96 per cent of teenagers lie to their parents, irrespective of how strict or permissive their parents are. The main reason cited for lying is to protect the relationship with their parents. Withholding information enables teenagers to forge an identity that is separate from their parents. Minimise lying by supporting your child’s autonomy and encouraging her to make independent decisions.

3. Get a good night’s sleep:

Studies show that children and teenagers are getting one hour less sleep per night than they did 30 years ago. The symptoms of chronic sleep deprivation in teens and tweens include moodiness, depression and even binge eating. It has also been linked to obesity, a significant drop in IQ and reduced academic performance. It follows that relationships will improve all around after a good night’s sleep.

4. Do regular, enjoyable exercise together:

Try walking, yoga or dance. You’ll associate each other with feeling good and conversation will be easier.

5. Respect each other’s needs:

This includes listening to the needs of your menstrual cycles. Women living together often find menstrual cycles synchronise, so it’s likely you’ll have parallel emotions, but everyone experiences their cycle differently. Charting your cycle is one way you can both recognise your patterns, plan ahead and allow for this time. It’s also important to acknowledge that you may need downtime when you are premenstrual or have your period. Allowing yourself that space means you can restore your reserves.

 Do you have any tips for improving your relationship with your teenage daughter? Tell us in the comments below.

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Comments

  • The thing I found very helpful was to go out for a walk after dinner. I found that my girls loved to come with me and because there were no distractions they would talk to me. I found out things that I wouldnt have been told normally.

    Reply

  • I find the best time to talk to my daughter,
    Is when she first gets home from school
    Before they are ready for their own down time:
    Ask how their day was ,what happened throughout her day.????????

    Reply

  • I find the best time to talk to my daughter,
    Is when she first gets home from school
    Before they are ready for their own down time:
    Ask how their day was ,what happened throughout her day.????????

    Reply

  • I find the best time to talk to my daughter,
    Is when she first gets home from school
    Before they are ready for their own down time:
    Ask how their day was ,what happened throughout her day.????????

    Reply

  • I only have sons but would like to have a good relationship with their girlfriends.

    Reply

  • Great tips, mine is listen, listen listen to them even when they drive you nuts

    Reply

  • Great tips. My daughter is only turning 1 so I have a while to wait.

    Reply

  • Thank you for sharing this great article.

    Reply

  • I’ll keep this in mind as the teenage years are fast approaching for me

    Reply

  • Good tips.
    I think take the time to chat and showing interest in what’s on their minds is super important. Hear them out and show respect and curiosity are great tools and yes a healthy argument is good !

    Reply

  • All good advice, will have to keep it in mind in years to come. I didn’t argue with or lie to my dad as a teenager. Guess times were different then, or I was unique.

    Reply

  • I loved the healthy arguing part…lol

    Reply

  • Thx for sharing.will need it in few years

    Reply

  • I have a few years before I hopefully need these, but I want to make time to spend 1 on 1 together

    Reply

  • actually making time to spend with each other as life is often so busy.

    Reply

  • We’ve a few years yet before the teen years, but I’m thinking about them now.

    Reply

  • Great tips. I also think the relationship needs to be cultivated from when they’re young. It’s harder to foster the relationship when they’re a teenager if you haven’t been respectful but had healthy boundaries in place from earlier.

    Reply

  • These are great tips. Will pass these on to my friends

    Reply

  • I think the best thing to do is to remember what you were like as a teen and rather than being a prude, help them where you needed it. Holding them back unnecessarily and further demonising things that they will want to do isn’t proactive or helpful. But of course, I yet to hit the teen years myself sooo…..

    Reply

  • Good tips thanks for posting.

    Reply
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