The moment has arrived – your child is no longer a child. Or has it? You might think the human you’ve nurtured from their first few moments of life to near-adulthood is ready to be independent and doesn’t need you anymore, but that isn’t true.

Physically, your child is nearly mature. Boys mature later than girls and will continue to put on muscle and develop more body hair, but the struggles of puberty are pretty much over for both sexes.

Emotionally, your child is mostly independent, but this doesn’t mean your support as a parent is no longer needed. This independence can lead to conflict, especially within the family; it can be challenging to walk the fine line between being supportive and your child feeling you’re being controlling.

Typically, this age group will have more serious relationships, some romantic ones, and a stronger sense of sexual identity; this can cause additional conflict if there’s a mismatch between how they see themselves and your perception of who your child should be. Their emotional maturity leads them to be more concerned about the practicalities of being an adult, such as how they’re going to support themselves, where they’re going to live, or what they’re going to do with their lives. If they plan to attend college, they may have additional concerns about living away from home for the first time or coping with a different academic environment. They’ll have a stronger sense of personal identity and reflect on their experiences more, perhaps by confiding in a diary or journal.

They may show a greater interest in family and cultural traditions, recognizing the important role they play in who they are. They’re likely to focus more on peer rather than family relationships, and as their social networks expand, so will their social life. They’ll have a greater concern about others, and you may find some of their questions revolve around issues their friends have.

Cognitively, your child has made huge strides since those first faltering attempts to understand the world around them. They’ll have a better idea about their goals and the ambition to work towards them. Improved planning skills, more foresight, and a deeper understanding of potential consequences are vital for a life of independence, especially since they’re focused on the future.

This age group may present as a little self-centered and, despite developing a moral sense, might consider their viewpoint correct even though they understand that others will have their own views. Their study skills, memory, organizational skills, time management, and abstract problem-solving abilities are at a level where they can tackle further education and an environment where they won’t have the same external framework and direction they’ve had so far. This is also when risk-taking behavior may emerge, if it hasn’t already, especially around drinking, drug-taking, sexual or physical activity.

There are several ways you can support your soon-to-be adult. Encouraging your child to talk to you about their concerns and aspirations and being supportive rather than judgmental will let them know you’re still there for them. You can give them some practical help, such as teaching them about domestic finances and debt and how to cook or do their laundry if you haven’t already done so. They’ll be facing huge changes, perhaps starting work or college or moving out, which can lower their confidence. Encouragement and positive feedback will help them maintain their confidence and self-esteem. They may not admit it, but they’ll still look to your example of how you behave; learning to be treated like an adult who has responsibilities and must face the consequences of their actions can take a little time. You can still provide a safe, emotionally secure haven for them when they become a little overwhelmed at this “adulting” thing.

You’ve seen your child through to adulthood, and your years of hard work have borne fruit; you can be proud of the well-adjusted, socially capable adult you’ve raised. While the nature of your relationship has changed, adult-to-adult rather than adult-to-child, they’ll still need you for years to come. The difference is now they’ll choose to come to you.

Suggested Resources for You

Your Adolescent: Volume 2  Parents, teachers, and mental health workers will find the answers to these- and many other-questions in this forthright yet compassionate guide to helping your adolescent through the tumultuous teen years. From peer pressure and self-esteem to experimentation with sex, alcohol, and drugs, this invaluable resource covers a wide range of practical issues. Here as well is information on more serious obstacles to a teen’s development that may require professional intervention, such as depression, eating disorders, substance abuse, and disruptive behavioral disorders. As surely as every child will become a teen, every person that must relate to a teen will find this book a reliable, indispensable guide to the ups and downs of adolescence.  
The Teenage Brain: A Neuroscientist’s Survival Guide to Raising Adolescents and Young Adults  Drawing on her research knowledge and clinical experience, internationally respected neurologist—and mother of two boys—Frances E. Jensen, M.D., offers a revolutionary look at the science of the adolescent brain, providing remarkable insights that translate into practical advice for both parents and teenagers.  Parenting Teenagers: Systematic Training for Effective Parenting of Teens  By Don Dinkmeyer Sr. PhD, Gary McKay PhD, Joyce L. McKay, Don Dinkmeyer Jr.  Parents know the challenges of raising teenagers. This popular STEP (Systematic Training for Effective Parenting) guide is filled with easy-to-understand-and-apply skills that helps parents connect with teens and deal with their “issues.” From the STEP/teen program, with practical guidance on social pressure, dating, grades, career plans, and alcohol, tobacco, and drug abuse prevention. This handbook is an excellent choice for parents who want to improve their relationship with teens.  Getting to Calm: Cool-Headed Strategies for Parenting Tweens + Teens  Parenting a teenager is tougher than ever, but new brain research offers new insight into the best way to connect with teens. With humor, wisdom and a deep understanding of the teenaged brain, noted teen expert Dr. Laura Kastler shows parents how to stay calm and cool-headed while dealing with hot-button issues everything from rude attitude and lying to sex and substance use — with clear, easy-to-follow suggestions for setting limits while maintaining a close and loving relationship.