Parenting a teenager is often a source of fear for fathers, especially if their child is a female.  The mental, physical, and social struggles faced by teenagers may seem trivial to some grown men, but puberty is a powerful force.  

Your teenager is going through some very extreme physical and psychological changes, and it helps to have an empathetic father figure for support.  

If you’re not sure how to handle your teens, it helps to educate yourself.  Read through a brief look at some pivotal parenting tips for fathers with teenagers, and take a few notes along the way.  

Be there for their important moments

Teenagers do care about important milestones in their lives, even if they act like it doesn’t matter.  Pay attention to the important moments, and validate your teenager’s accomplishments.  

Important moments are more than events like graduation and making the honor roll.  Your teenager will experience their first “love,” changing body features, internal skepticism, and many other pivotal circumstances in this period of his/her life.  

Find ways to be a friend and a parent

Listening is vital to earning the trust of any teenager.  Teenagers always have a lot to say, and in most cases, they do want their dad to be interested.  Listening more often than you talk will make way for your teen to carve out the path of the conversation.  

You need to know if your teenager is experimenting with smoking cigarettes or drinking alcohol, so you can have an influence on their internal compass.  If you really want to know where your kid’s head is existing, you’ll have to take the time to get to know the person they are becoming.  

Remember the bond between friends

Your teenager’s friends are very important to them.  As a father, it should matter to you who your teenager’s friends are and what kind of friends they are to your kid.  When your teenager is in the middle of a spat with a close friend, be sensitive to the matter.  

You don’t have to hold their hand or anything like that, but acknowledging their struggle is nice.  Offer your ears as a sounding board for their thoughts, and you’ll simultaneously build a stronger relationship with your teen.  

Teaching your teenager to drive 

Take time out of your busy schedule to teach your teenager how to drive.  The time spent learning such a groundbreaking skill will inevitably result in some memorable bonding moments.  

Don’t let the anxiety associated with teaching your teen how to drive keep you from getting the job done.  Your growing kid needs the skills it takes to be a successful adult, and teaching him/her to drive will get them on their way to adulthood.