Keep Your Chin Up

The most difficult part about raising a teenager (or the part that I gather is the most difficult from scrupulous observations of my own parental unit) is keeping your cool no matter what happens. Teenagers are like bees; leave them alone and they'll stay out of your way (although I cannot guarantee this), confront them, and you open Pandora's box.

Let us put this into perspective. Let us say that your respective teenager has returned home from their place of education one afternoon with a very shaded, almost suspicious look on their face. Now, instead of right away yelling at your teenager, and risk being stung, ease yourself in. Ask them how their day was. Did anything interesting happen? Did you get any grades back? (Wink, Wink). If you want to go for a swim, you do not just dive in (unless you are the impetuous type). First, you dip your toe in, then a leg, then both legs, then you slowly wade in, being careful not to make too quick a step and expose your unprepared body to the frigid water.

Do not, I repeat, DO NOT, be taken aback by your teenager's quick and dismissive responses, like: "Fine" or "Good" or "Why are you so interested?". These are simply ways for your teenager to buy time while they think of a witty prevarication; an unquestionable yet unsuspicious excuse for why they had still not gotten back that history test. Ready yourselves for these responses, and when such situations arise, be prepared to shrug them off and continue with your slow and steady pursuit of the truth.

Although, if used correctly, these methods will surely lead to a parental victory, I cannot stress the importance of easing your way into such conversations. If a teenager is falsely accused of lying about a test that they, in all honesty, had not gotten back, then they are sure to lash out--yell, scream, break things, you know, the usual.

So, remember, when your teenager comes home with a look of suspicion upon their face;
slowly wade in,
shrug off their quick and dismissive responses to your questions,
and DO NOT, under any circumstances, falsely accuse your teen (we hate that, we truly do).

Stay tuned for more truth about teens.