The teen years are a tricky time for parents, not just for the stereotypical attitude, reduced communication and arguments over screen time and homework, but because of the difficulty finding a balance between allowing independence versus keeping them safe.
Today’s teens are increasingly being raised by parents who used ‘snowplough parenting’ (where parents stand in front of their teens, ploughing a smooth path and clearing anything in their way) and helicopter parenting (where parents constantly hover over their teens, checking in on their every move). Despite this, 97% of parents believe that they are encouraging their teen’s independence, according to studies however, most realise that they themselves are the biggest obstacle to their teen actually achieving said independence. It seems that we are own worst enemies. We bemoan the fact that our teens cannot do anything independently, yet we struggle to give them the very freedom that breeds independence.
