Talking to Your Teen About Healthy Relationships: Importance and Tips

As your kids grow, they will try and discover newer things, including getting in a relationship. Teenage relationships can be tricky. The teens involved aren’t usually aware of what a healthy relationship is, the importance of consent, mental health, commitment values, respect and so much more. This is where parents must step in and guide their teens in the right direction. They must talk to them about healthy relationships. This is important because if a teen unknowingly becomes involved in an unhealthy relationship, it can affect their mental health in the long run.  

At Cadabam’s Hospitals, we offer family therapy services if parents believe there’s a need for intervention and communicate with their teen in an effective manner about healthy relationships. Over the years, we have helped many parents. We can help you too in talking to your teen about healthy relationships. Call us at +91 97414 76476 or +91 7353226622 or send us an email at info@cadabamshospitals.com.

Parents: Tips to Give Good Relationship Advice for Teenagers

Educating your teens about the importance of healthy relationships can help them to understand what teenage relationship problems are and what it means to be in a healthy relationship. By talking to your teen about healthy relationships, you can help them stay away from or get out of an unhealthy relationship. Here are some tips-

• Lead by example: Children learn from their parents, so set an example for relationship goals. If you treat your partner right, then you are conveying what a healthy relationship means or looks like.
• Talk about what an unhealthy relationship is: In an unhealthy relationship, one partner usually tries to control the other. One partner wants to make all the decisions, including what the other partner does with their free time, the clothes they wear or who they talk to. The controlling or abusive partner usually justifies their behavior with unjustified excuses. The abused partner also makes up excuses for this type of behavior. Teach them when to compromise and when to stand for themselves. You should teach them the values of being assertive in a relationship. Teach them the rights that a person has in a relationship and the boundaries that have to be set. As a whole, explain to them what a healthy teenage relationship is and what they can expect out of it. 
• Physical intimacy should be mutually desired. Tell them that it is important for both partners to want and be comfortable with physical intimacy, including touching, kissing and sex. One cannot force into any level of physical intimacy on another partner. Discuss with your teen how to say "no" and what to do if the other partner doesn’t respect their answer. Talk about the importance of safe sex and unwanted pregnancy.

Have a conversation on the value of consent in a relationship. Let them know that they have all the rights to deny someone’s advances. Along with this, you should also teach your teenagers how they should restrain themselves if the other person is not comfortable with such a situation or does not offer consent for intimacy. Warn them that forcing someone without consent is a punishable crime.

Why Cadabam’s Hospitals?

If you are having trouble talking about a healthy relationship with your teenager, get help from experts. At Cadabam’s Hospitals, we offer family therapy services wherein experts help parents and teenagers have meaningful and transparent communication wherein they discuss teenage relationships in an effective manner. We leverage evidence-based approaches to assist parents and teenagers in the right direction that subsequently paves the way to good mental health and healthier relationships. Get in touch with the experts at Cadabam’s Hospitals today. Call us at +91 97414 76476 or +91 7353226622 or send us an email at info@cadabamshospitals.com.