Smiling happy teenage girl sitting in front of her parents
Does anyone ever forget their first real relationship? The butterflies. Thinking about that person 24/7. Obsessing over their every move and phrase. Daydreaming about spending next weekend, the entire summer vacation, the rest of your life with them. And then the unbearable heartache when it all came to an end. And if you thought navigating your first real relationship was tough, it’s possibly even harder for your teen. As well as all the same feelings and insecurities and desires and can’t-stop-thinking-about-them stretches of time between dates, your teen is facing the numerous added complications that are intrinsically linked to a relationship in the digital age. And as a parent, you probably (maybe) only just got the hang of their never-ending succession of distant crushes; what can you possibly do to help your teen through their first realrelationship?
You may not be able to do anything about those teenage social media spats, but what you can do is make yourself available as a trustworthy confidante — without being too intrusive or cringe-inducing, of course. It’s a fine line, but if you get it right, you can stay connected with your teen even though you’re no longer the main object of their affection like you were when they were a toddler.
Kevon Owen is a featured author in this article which is available at this link. https://www.sheknows.com/parenting/articles/2012197/teens-first-real-relationship/
