It’s important to know what to expect from your teen during each year of adolescence. While all teens grow and develop at different rates, it’s important to know what your teen may be experiencing along the path toward adulthood. There will be many choices for after-school activities to challenge their mind and body. With new school routines, you’ll have to help your teen develop good meal habits and maintain good sleep habits. Fifteen is a time when some teens really start to flourish. And for those who lag behind, their immaturity becomes especially apparent. It’s important to base your rules and consequences on how much responsibility your 15-year-old shows they can handle. Many 16-year-old teens land their first jobs, get their driver’s licenses, and start experimenting more with bigger responsibilities. It’s a great time to let your teen fail once in a while, just to show them that they can bounce back. But provide plenty of guidance as they accept new responsibilities. If your 17-year-old has always been in organized sports, it’s a good time for them to think about what they’ll do for recreation once they graduate from school sports. Remind them that as long as they live in your house, they need to follow your rules, even if they are 18. But hopefully, by this age, you can rest a little easier knowing that you’ve done all you can to equip your teen for life after high school.
