Your sixteen-year-old needs to be in situations where they can practice healthy decision-making skills. Involving teens in establishing family rules and expectations makes a huge difference in their ability to safely experience the world. There are simple things parents and those in a parenting rule can do right now to build a healthy relationship with their teen while encouraging them to manage their own behavior, solve problems, and make healthy choices. Parenting a teen is not easy. Join the parents who grow their skills using the process and tools available from ParentingMontana.org. This podcast shares resources from the website that will enable you to engage your teen in developing the social and emotional skills essential for a successful future. Engaging your teen in honest conversations using the process learned in this podcast will grow the relationship required for enjoying the teen years and beyond.

Parenting a teen is a journey that comes with a lot of joy as well as anxiety. ParentingMontana.org provides parents and those in a parenting role with tools to support their teens’ growth through this critical time of development. The Montana Department of Health and Human Services teamed with the Center for Health and Safety Culture at Montana State University to encourage healthy mental, emotional, and behavioral development through ParentingMontana.org. The resources on the website were originally developed to offer skill building to parents in Montana, yet these tools can support parents and those in a parenting role anywhere.

This podcast explains a five-step process: Gain Input, Teach, Practice, Support, and Recognize. Using this process in your daily interactions with your teen engages them in understanding themselves and problem solving while building a strong relationship with you. With practice, you and your teen will become more comfortable with the process and will have the ability to face challenges today and in years to come. Clear communication and a healthy relationship are necessary to teach your teen to overcome struggles and gain the skills needed to thrive. The individual tools available for parenting your sixteen-year-old include: Anger, Back Talk, Bullying, Chores, Confidence, Conflict, Discipline, Establishing Rules About Alcohol, Friends, Homework, Listening, Lying, Mixed Messages About Alcohol, Peer Pressure, Reading, Routines, and Stress. Listen now to work toward being the parent that you want to be for your teen.