An Effective Parenting Style For Teenagers Requires Consistency, Sense Of Humor & Allowing Slip-Ups

Parenting teenagers can be hard at times. Gone is the happy and bright child you raised and is now replaced by a teen with drastic mood swings as he/she tries to figure out his/her identity and tries to establish independence.

That transition from childhood to adulthood can be stressful for parents, and most of the time they have no clue how to approach their own children, resulting to miscommunication from both sides. According to StateCollege.com, parents need to exhibit consistency and a good sense of humor when dealing with their teenage sons or daughters.

Being consistent as a parent means having "solid and predictable" reactions and expectations, StateCollege.com wrote. It can be difficult for teenagers whenever their parents suddenly expected them to follow a rule if they weren't taught of that when they were toddlers or children.

A good sense of humor is also needed for effective parenting. Jokes can be a form of discipline without it being too offensive, and it's something that both parent and child can laugh about years after. A sense of humor also helps de-stress a parent frustrated over a teenager.

Just recently, a blurry photo surfaced online showing first daughter Malia Obama smoking marijuana. The news broke the internet into two. Some people criticized the 18-year-old for smoking a joint, while others defended her and stressed that she should be allowed to be a teenager.

Teenagers are prone to making mistakes; that attitude occurred decades ago and it's still happening now. Teenage years are times when a person starts exploring his/her sexuality, relationships, alcohol, and sometimes drugs.

According to a report from The Independent, allowing teenagers to make mistakes can establish a strong connection between parent and child. Parents exhibiting gentle compassion as their son or daughter go through their difficult teenage years also helps.

A recent study published in PLOS Computational Biology also found that a more successful parenting style involves rewarding teenagers' good behavior and avoiding punishments whenever they commit mistakes and bad stuff.

The research found that teens respond better to positive incentives, but struggle with staying motivated to avoid punishments from their parents. Joseph Allen, a professor of psychology at the University of Virginia, said rewards are something that teenagers "want to think about" and punishment is "something they don't want to think about." For instance, asking a teen to ace his/her math test in exchange for a new pair of shoes will likely motivate them and push them to accomplish their task.