Your late-teen grandchild is going through many changes: scary, exciting, daunting, peer-driven changes.
The best thing you can do for a teen-ager is offer your support and approval. Just show your unconditional love. Isn't that what we all want? |
Much of what happens with this age began when your grandchild was an early teen. If you showed tolerance for his/her lifestyle, interests, and viewpoints at that age and maintained a trusting relationship with your grandchild, you will head into late teens and beyond with a solid relationship. If you did not, you might have some fences to mend. Although you would love for your grandchild to follow your values, peer groups have much more influence on a teen-ager than family. Your disapproval during the teen years will probably not influence your grandchild greatly. In fact, disapproval is much more likely to broaden the generation gap. So open your mind to a new generation, a new regime, and new beliefs and lifestyles. With a little tolerance on your part, your relationship can be rewarding to you both. The late teen-age years bring many changes. They finish high school, start college/find work or both and get involved in serious relationships. Some even marry and/or have children of their own before they are, in your opinion, "quite grown." They are child one day, adult the next, and total stranger the third. One day they are on top of the world with exciting prospects. The next day they are totally discouraged by life's changes and choices. The best thing you can do at this age is lend your support, fully and with a smile, without lectures or even "sniffing" or frowning to show your disapproval. You can be there for him if he breaks up with his girlfriend (you know, the one with the tattoo and the pierced nose) or wrecks the family car. |
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