As parents we want to guide our children and teach them as best we can to grow into happy, responsible adults. The teenage years can be tough on them, and you! Here are 20 Important Things You Should Tell Your Teenager to help them on their journey into adulthood.

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#1. Stand Up For What You Believe

Be strong – try not to give in to peer pressure. Be true to yourself. Be assertive but not aggressive and if you need help, ask for it, no matter how big or small the problem is.

#2. Be Responsible

Think about what you are doing before you do it. All decisions you make will have an impact on your life.

Try to make your own choices and not have others make those for you. Not all your decisions will be good ones, but learn from your mistakes, it will make you stronger.

#3. Enjoy These Years

You will only be a teenager for 7 short years, enjoy this time as you will never get it back.

Work hard, laugh hard,  and have loads of fun too. Don’t take yourself too seriously.

Recommended Reading: 20 Things to Tell Your Daughter

#4. Look After Yourself But Don’t Obsess With How You Look.

Eat well and exercise, not to be slim but to be healthy. You only get one body, treat it well as it has to last your whole life.

Don’t fill it with drugs or cigarette smoke, they do not make you cool and you have no idea of the lasting damage they are doing on the inside.

Care about your appearance but remember being good on the inside is what counts.

Recommended Reading: Tips for Talking to Teens About Drugs

#5. Trust Your Instincts

It is feels wrong, there is probably a good reason. Know when to walk away.
Recommended Reading: Parenting Tips on How to Deal with Teenagers

#6. Be A Good Friend

Listen well and treat your friends like you want to be treated. It is ok to fall out and have different opinions. Arguing with the people close to you will help you grow as a person.

Most of all be yourself. It’s okay to learn from others, but always have your own opinion.

Hold onto good friends and be loyal to them. Relationships will come and go but good friends will stick with you through thick and thin!

Recommended Reading: 20 Things a Mother Should Tell Her Son

#7. Have Goals & Dreams & Work For Them

Set goals and work for them. Study well to ensure you get the career you want, but also ensure this career will make you happy – you may be doing it for awhile!

Don’t forget your dreams along the way.

#8. Love Your Family

Not always easy I know, but you are stuck with us and we will always be there to look out for you. We love you more that you can ever imagine…..to the moon and back.

#9. It’s Okay To Ask for Help

Everyone feel helpless or vulnerable from time to time.

I am here for you if you feel that way, and we can work it out together.

I will respect your privacy and you can trust me always. I will try not to judge.

Recommended Reading: Important Pieces of Advice to Give Your Teenage Son & Teenage Daughter & 15  Positive Parenting Techniques For Parents

#10. Find A Sport Or Exercise You Love

Being part of a team and achieving your sporting goals will give you the best feeling in the world. You will learn to lose gracefully, respect authority and work to a common goal. It will improve your time management and discipline and you might even have fun along the way.

As you grow older you will appreciate the work you put in during your teenage years. You will also make great and lasting friendships with like-minded people.

#11. Respect Yourself & Others

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If you don’t respect yourself other people won’t either. Think of how you dress, you may be getting attention by dressing in a certain way, but it is the kind of attention you want? Not all attention is good attention.

Remember It is ok to say no. Sex is something that should only be done with someone you love. It should be fun and enjoyable and should not be rushed into.
Treat every girl / boy with the respect that you would like people to treat you. Respect your own body and do not permit others to violate it.

Recommended Reading: What Parents Need To Know About Sexting – Part 1

#12. Read

Read everything you can, not just to educate, but for enjoyment.

#13. Love Hurts

A cliché I know but very true. It is a lot of fun too.

You will move on and get over crushes and break-ups, even if it feels like all you want to do now is stay in your room, like forever.

People generally don’t settle down with their first love, I know that is hard to believe but trust me you will be in love many times before you find ‘the one’. And if you don’t find ‘the one’ that is ok too.

Recommended Reading: Talking to Teens about Sex

#14. Never Ever Drink & Drive or Use Your Phone when Driving

I would like to say never drink but who am I kidding here?

Alcohol affects your reasoning and lessens your inhibitions, treat it with respect and only have it in moderation. And never ever drive if you have had alcohol.

Same goes for using your phone while driving. There is nothing that can’t wait until you have pulled over safely to answer a call or text or make one.

Recommended Reading: Advice for Parents on Teen Drinking

#15. Possessions Won’t Make You Happy.

Oh I know that having the latest phone, tablet, designer outfit, holiday, will give you happiness in the short term. But possessions break, get lost and go out of fashion very quickly, so don’t rely on possessions to make you happy, appreciate what you have now.

#16. Think before you Post

Never post a photo or a comment you would not like us to see.

And remember your future employer / in laws may check you out online, and anything you say or post is permanent and cannot be taken back. Anonymous does not always remain anonymous!

Recommended Reading: 5 Ways to Help You Navigate the Terrible Teens & Tips for Posting Images Online

#17. Don’t Believe Everything You Hear Or See

People will tell lies, from little white lies up to great big ones.

Your friends will lie about everything from their sexual experiences to things they have done. Trust your judgement on those and never ever do it just because everyone else is….chances are they are not.

And as for not believing everything you see….have you heard of photoshop?

Recommended Reading: 8 Top Tips for Positive Parenting

#18. You Are Only Responsible For You

Look out for your friends but if they want to take risks that you don’t, walk away. And if those risks have bad results, remember you can only be responsible for yourself and your actions.

#19. Change What You Can & Learn From What You Can’t

You won’t be able to change everything. Work on the things you can change, and move on and learn from what you can’t change.

#20. I Am Always Here For You and I will always Love you

Call me day our night, I will try not to judge and will always be here to answer your questions or just give you a hug. I will always love you, no matter what.

Recommended Reading: You Know You’ve a Teenager When..

Do you have any words of wisdom to add to our list? Please add them in the comments box below.