Raising responsible teenagers is a wonderful, but sometimes exasperating, experience. Fortunately, there is good advice available to help you get through those low points which is free through the Triple P Parenting online programme.

At Westland High School, we use a range of positive behaviour strategies to good learning outcomes for all of our students. We endeavour to interact positively and and restoratively with our students to give them strategies to resolve issues and manage themselves well that will help them their whole life. We appreciate the support we get from parents, and were happy to help them as well.

Raising responsible teenagers is a wonderful, but sometimes exasperating, experience. Fortunately, there is good advice available to help you get through those low points which is free through the Triple P Parenting online programme.

Triple P is giving Kiwi whānau free access to practical and easy-to-use resources for building children’s emotional resilience throughout the pandemic and beyond, thanks to funding from the Ministry of Health and support from Whāraurau as part of the COVID-19 response. Included in the options is the latest Fear-Less Triple P Online - a programme specifically designed to help children and young people get on top of anxiety.

Triple P identifies six key elements that are important for teenagers to develop into mature young adults and healthy family members.

• Being involved in family decision making
• Being respectful and considerate
• Being involved in family activities
• Developing a healthy lifestyle
• Being reliable
• Being assertive (clear and kind)

There are two more sessions of the programme still to run. Having been involved in the earlier session is not essential, and many useful tips can be picked up by going along.

Tip#1 to Raising Responsible Teenagers. Involving them in family decision-making

Get your teenagers to take part in family decisions. Teenagers need to learn how to make good decisions so it is good to involve them in the family decision making process.

Hold a family meeting. Choose a time that suits everyone when people aren't rushed or tired. The decisions don’t have to be big ones, they can be things that can have positive benefits for them; deciding on what movie to watch, what meals to cook, the plans for the holidays or weekend. Deciding who will do what chores (potentially giving them a choice of what they will do, and their commitment to doing them). If they chose not to participate they might find that they have to live with decisions that they could have had a say in.

When they get good at the meetings then it’s much easier to discuss bigger questions like what school they go to, what subjects they might do, or moving to a new house.

For more information, visit the Triple P Parenting online programme.