Take a moment to review a mental slideshow of the life of your child up to this point. If you do this right you will have many moments come up that were incidences of potential harm to your child. Perhaps they picked up a kitchen knife that you had laying on the counter while you were preparing a meal, and somehow they escaped receiving a nasty cut. How about when they learned to ride a bike, and took a couple of spills yet walked away unharmed. There may have been a moment in a crowded place, such as a visit to a zoo, when they seemed to have gotten lost but really did not. Most parents have experienced these situations, and probably many more, too! Somehow, in spite of close calls, their child is still walking the face of the Earth and is still in one piece.

Now think about the moments when your child was engaged in an activity which could have inflicted injury somehow, such as playing a sport, and no harm ever came to them. There is probably so many moments in their life like that that you cannot even begin to recall them!

So what is it that keeps that child safe, even in the face of harm? How did they manage to escape the countless opportunities to receive injury somehow, while participating in LIFE? The answer is found in the children themselves and in their inborn desire to live a life filled with new experiences and joy. Just think about how easily children laugh, and how excited they are to know the world around them. We can easily believe that they are not born with a self-destructive goal because they would not make it past the age of two if they were.

This same desire for life and for exploration lives within them throughout their entire lives, including during their teenage years. Since parents often have very little real control over their teens choices, this is a crucial time to trust that their child makes the ones that bring them life. While this may be a difficult thought for a parent to embrace, it is the one thought that can help parents and teens get through a few challenging years with as little worry and concern as possible. Believe in the best, think about the best all the time, and the law of attraction guarantees that you will experience the best!

Our best weapon is to prepare in advance while our child is young, knowing the teenage years are coming. It’s actually not as hard as you think to keep open the lines of communication, and to foster healthy and thriving relationships with our child (or children: I have several). With consistent effort and determination, we can actually look forward to the teenage years. In reviewing my own relationship with my teenager, I’ve come up with a recipe of five “ingredients” that parents can use to develop a thriving relationship with their teenagers. This isn’t exactly a “how-to,” but rather a thought-provoking look at changing our thinking as parents to create an environment of healthy relating and communicating. Let’s face it: nobody wants to raise a sullen, angry teenager who avoids his or her parents. If that’s your parenting goal, then return to your sofa, Tweet Deck, Facebook or fishin’ hole: I’m wasting your “me time.” Otherwise, read on. This is 5 keys to a closer relationship with your teen:
1. 2 Ears, 1 Mouth
2. Mirror, mirror: expect what you give.
3. If you’re going to fight, be on their side.
4. What does the evidence show?
5. Admit you’re wrong.

Remember, this isn’t a step-by-step, but rather is a digested form of what I’ve learned in raising a teenager. Just to tip my hand a little bit here, I am not the perfect parent, far from it. However, I do enjoy my teenage daughter, and I see in her plenty of hope ahead. I’m sharing this information with you because I have found these 5 keys helpful in guiding my thinking and it’s working so far. The only things you have to lose are the right to give up on your children, and any handy excuses you may keep up your sleeve for lazy parenting. Let’s look closer at those 5 keys to a closer relationship with your teen.

Teens are a unique age group for needing babysitter supervision. They are older and more independent, so they require less supervision than a child who is 3 or 4 years old. This being said, teens often try to get away with more than a younger child does.
Parents need to set strict rules and guidelines, and make sure that all directions are clear for whomever they choose as a babysitter. While limits are less restrictive, teens still need to follow rules. Babysitters need to make sure that they have complete instructions, such as homework being done by a certain time, any chores that need to be completed, and what the bedtime routine is.

As mentioned earlier, teens are more independent, so they will probably spend most of their time playing video games or chatting with friends on the phone. This is an age, however, where mental stimulation is still important. If a teen insists on watching television, try to steer him or her toward a program that is more educational and interesting.

Communication is also vital in the teen years. Any babysitter that a parent chooses to look after their children should develop a close bond with the teen. Sit them down with each other prior to the day the babysitting starts. This will ensure that both the teen and the babysitter are comfortable with each other. The last thing a parent wants is for their child and babysitter to have a personality conflict. This makes it stressful for the child, the babysitter, and the parents.
Finding someone who can interact well with your teenager will make it easier when parents need to leave their children to attend to other functions or duties. Not only will your children have a responsible babysitter, but they will also have a new friend. Everyone will benefit.