We’ve all seen our kids in action, or rather inaction and it drives us nuts. The slothful behavior, disregard for order, or promptness. Yes, we’re talking about the big L, laziness. Laziness has to be one of the most common complaints parents have with their teenagers.

Some parents see their teens as unmotivated, defiant, negligent, or irresponsible. Unsavory behavior that leaves a bad taste in even the most casual parent’s mouth. It may feel that your kids are just not serious about their lives. Their elusive and rude behavior sometimes can shut down communication making things worse.

Sometimes, parents may need help understanding whether their teens are really lazy or are just sluggishly going through a passing phase. While it’s relatively easy to spot, here are some common symptoms of genuine laziness and defiance:

• A lack of patience
• Dissatisfaction with most things in life
• Throwing tantrums
• Not accepting “no” for an answer
• Carelessness with their possessions
• Not wanting to help around the house
• Attempting to control everyone

Lazy Teenager Motivational Tips

As a parent, you feel the responsibility to understand their behavior and help them make the right choices in life. The teenage years set the foundation for their morals, character, and worldview.

It is up to you to show them the path forward and mold them into good human beings. So to help you along with that, here are a handful of things you can do to motivate your teen to tamp down on laziness, be and do better.

Try To Listen And Understand

Sometimes, teens need to be heard. They desperately need someone to understand what’s going on in their minds and hearts. If you set aside all your good intentions to improve your teen for a moment and just sit down with them, you might gain many insights into their behavior. As a parent, who better to do this than you?

This could help you learn what motivates them, what fears they have, what they are struggling with, and what’s stopping them from becoming their best selves.

So it’s essential to spend time with your teen and ask them how they’re doing about something or life in general. Approach them with compassion and encourage them to open up to you. The more you do this, the more you’ll understand why they are lazy or unmotivated. Remember, only when you understand a problem can you find its solution.

Celebrate Their Wins

When your teen experiences something positive, bring as much attention and enthusiasm as you do when something goes wrong. A reward for a job well done goes a long way to communicating with your child that their success matters and means a lot to you.

Understand what your kids love and use that knowledge wisely. For instance, when they get good grades in school, you could celebrate their wins by doing something they like or getting something they want.

Expecting rewards can be a powerful motivator to push them to do better. It also has a psychological impact on them. Subconsciously, they realize that you are always there to cheer them on and that you find joy in their successes.

Have Faith In Your Child

It is frustrating to see your teen waste away their potential. You know that they can do much better, and yet, for some reason, they just won’t. In times like these, it’s important to take a more nuanced approach toward the issue. Try to figure out what is stopping them from recognizing their true worth. If they lack confidence in their abilities, try to understand why that is the case.

Instead of yelling at them or nagging them to make better use of their talents, let them know you believe in them. Be the cheerleader that they need you to be. They might not say it, but the need is still there. Then, work with them to boost their self-esteem.

Teach them the value of trying new things. Tell them that they don’t have to be the best at everything. Sometimes, just trying and enjoying things is the way to go. Gradually, they will start developing faith in themselves.

Teach Them How To Achieve Their Goals

We all need reminding that teenagers are still in a developing stage where their mental, physical, and emotional strengths have not fully matured. As such, their problem-solving skills and other important capabilities could be better. This is where they need your help the most. When it comes to big goals, you need to be by their side to help them throughout the journey.

Firstly, you need to help them break down big goals into smaller achievable milestones. When you do this, they suddenly stop feeling overwhelmed and can start focusing on a much more manageable task.

Secondly, you must help your teens create a roadmap to their end goals. They might often need to learn how to get from point A to point B. They might need more experience to improvise in real-time and make progress on their path. So, sit with them and train them on achieving goals in life.

Parent Tips For Lazy Teens

As a parent, you must be very careful about how you behave with your teens. There are tips you can follow to establish a greater bond with your kid and help them wade graciously through this stage of their life. That could make all the difference.

• Always be loving and compassionate with your teens, even during times it might be really difficult to do so. They might not show that they need your love, but deep down, they do. They need all the love and support they can get.
• Communicate clearly and calmly. It might take several tries to get your point across. You may be speaking from an experience while they may not have any idea what you’re talking about. So, be calm, concise, friendly, and clear.
• Be patient and persistent. Do not expect your teens to ditch their laziness and become a model citizens immediately. Both of you will take some time and effort to get there. However, do not let go, either. You need to be persistent so that they don’t steer off course.

If you are struggling to get through to your teen, you can always seek help from a professional. Help Your Teen Now can be an indispensable resource for dealing with teens. They have helped countless parents find support for their troubled teens. And they can certainly work with you to help your teen as well! You can contact them for more information and help.