Coping with life at home - Tips and videos for teenagers

We all grow up and live in different houses.  Some of us have a lot of siblings and for some they are the only children.  Some just have one of their parents and some both.  Whatever family you are part of, it can sometimes be difficult to live together in one house.

You are a teenager now and have your own ideas, most of the time a bit different from the rest and some parents do not deal well with the changes you are going through.  There can be a lot of friction in your household, but there are ways in which you can make it better.

Your house is suppose to be your 'safe haven'. The place where you can express yourself and feel you belong.  Unfortunately not all of us has the privilege to grow up in a stable home.

If you live in a house where abuse is a 'normal' thing, you need to get help straight away.   You cannot stay in circumstances like that - you deserve better and NOBODY may hurt you, not even your parents.

Even if you have a stable home, conflict can still occur, especially during stressful times. Many times it is not your fault but there can be times where you can think a bit about how you interact with the rest of your family and what you do to help things better.

The best way to be heard in your family is to have your voice heard.  That does not mean scream and shout, it means choose a time when you are feeling calm and not angry and talk to your parents or siblings on what you expect from them and how you feel about certain situations and things they do.  

Remember that everybody in the house has a say and in the same way that you want to be heard, they also want you to listen to them.  Make sure you understand what makes them happy or sad and come to a compromise where everybody is happy and benefits from it.

Put in some effort to be kind, caring, respectful and patient with the others in your house.  You are not the only one that lives there.

If you have a problem speaking to your parents, or they do not listen to you, speak to another adult or your friends.  I will maybe not solve something, but at least you will feel better that you could share it.

You have to understand that your parents have certain rules.  These rules are usually for your own protection (it is after all their job to look after you) or you have rules to teach you certain things about life and how to become a well adjusted adult.  

You will not always agree with all of the rules and you can have an opinion about it.  Talk to your parents in a calm way and tell them your point of view on a certain rule.  Hopefully they will listen and tell you why they have that specific rule and who knows, they may even change some of them.

We all have days where we feel down or stressed out.  This does not give you a ticket to be mean to others.  Do something that makes you feel happy or relaxed and tell the others in the house that you would appreciate it to be left alone for a while.  Once you feel better, you will then join them again.  Also give the same respect to other siblings if they also have an 'off day'.

It is important that we sometimes spend time away from others and just enjoy our own space and time.  That way you can do what you like, clear your head a bit and find yourself again.  In order to be kind to others, we first need to be kind to ourselves.

Even if you feel that the whole world is against you, remember that your family loves you and cares for you.  It may not always feel that way, but in the same way that you like it if they are nice to you, they will also appreciate it if you are nice to them and spend some time with them.

Go on, make your parent's day and join them in the garden, for a meal, watching TV or playing some games or just sitting around chatting.  You will be amazed if you do something from your side, how much more they will do from their side.

                         

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