Fredericksburg Parent

14 Fredericksburg Parent and Family • October 2021 WRITTEN BY RHIANNON ELLIS DEBORAH "My mission is to reimagine the purpose of parenting so we can leave our children a legacy of love by raising them with compassion and purpose!" Adolescence is a major period of profound growth—physically, mentally and emotionally— so it's no wonder that this phase of life can be so confusing and challenging for teens… and their parents. Teenagers often get a bad rap, but teens are thoughtful, full of energy and ideas, and deeply in-tuned with what's fair and right. Parents have the exciting role of helping their almost- grown child develop into the unique individual they will one day become. Because every parent of a teenager can sometimes use reinforcements, we turned to parenting guru and "SuperNanny" Deborah Tillman to get some insight on the effective, compassionate parent- ing of teenagers. You may recognize Tillman from her role in Lifetime TV's "America's Supernanny," or from one of her many appearances on "The Steve Harvey Show," "The View," "Fox and Friends," "The Today Show," or CNN. She is also the author of three books, and the president of the John Maxwell Team Parenting and Family Certification, serving over 16,000 coaches in over 150 countries around the world. Tillman holds a master's degree in early childhood special education from George Wash- ington University, and she was awarded an honorary doctorate in Education from Rich- mond Virginia Seminary. Q: It seems like the transition from kid to teen happens overnight. One second, they want all your attention, and the next second, they want you to go away! This can often be just as confusing of a time for parents as it is for teenagers. Do you have any tips on how to change one's parenting style from kid-friendly to teen-friendly? Prioritizing our children Affirming them daily Rearing and respecting them Encouraging their DNA (Distinct Natural Abilities) Nurturing them through the various phases of life Teaching them to be compassionate, self-aware, responsible humans Supporting them through the crisis and challenges that life will inevitably bring. TILLMAN: Children go through many phases and so do we as par- ents. The way to be and stay con- nected to our teens is to listen more, learn them all over again as they are going through many changes, physi- cally, mentally and emotionally and to love them through those stages and seasons of life. I also believe in pur- poseful parenting, which means we are intentional about: TILLMAN DEBORAH TILLMAN America's Supernanny

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