To give teenagers space is to show them how to handle tough situations that they may come across in their lives. It is vital to teach them how to deal with these things, especially when they become very common. When you give teenagers space, you allow them to become more confident and strong. When you intimidate a teenager, you send the message that tough love is acceptable. By teaching your teenager to “give them time” you are empowering him/her and showing him that you respect his/her boundaries.

There is nothing wrong with giving a teenager the time they need to sort out things at school or with their friends. If you are having trouble sorting through some of your teenager’s calls, for example, you might consider having a group conference call where all of your teenagers can gather. This way, you can get answers and concerns addressed without having the conversation take up all of your teenagers’ time.

Teens are self-conscious about their age. They do not want to be the same age as their friends and often try to set themselves apart. Setting boundaries can be difficult because teenagers tend to be perfectionists. However, if you make your teenager feel comfortable about speaking his/her mind, there is a good chance that he/she will be more willing to voice their opinions in terms of concerns or issues that they have.

Sometimes teenagers become too clingy. You can help prevent this by allowing your teenager to have more freedom to follow his own interests. If you are having trouble getting through to your teenager about his/her own personal interests, you may want to start taking an interest in the things your teenager is into. Do your best to encourage your teenager to pursue these interests. For example, if your teenager is into skateboarding, make it known to him that you would like to know more about it. You may even decide to start going to skateboard parks on a regular basis yourself so that you can learn more from your teenager.

Finally, just because you have come to realize that your teenagers need some freedom does not mean that you are ready to give up total control of the situation. Remember that it is never too late to teach your teenager how to deal with certain situations. Don’t give up until your teenager has completely gotten over the embarrassment of making a problem out of something. Just keep in mind that as long as you can remain positive, there should be no reason why your teenager should be afraid to speak his/her mind.