Parenting can be a very stressful thing. Parenting is a philosophy of child rearing that has the potential to change the world. Most of the parents think that they are the best parents and they maintain a very friendly relationship, which is not always the case. Most of the time there is a clash between the mindset of a child and a parent – parents think that they are correct and what their child is saying is wrong.

One of the major problems faced by parents is generation gap. This gap between the parents and the youngster is the result of their difference in perception. Belonging to different generations, parents and children tend to look at things in different ways, which mostly do not merge. Most of the parents consider themselves omniscient .They underestimate their child. They generally think that their child lives in an imaginary world unaware of the practicalities of the real one.

On the contrary, youngsters nowadays are well informed and have a very broad outlook towards life. They no longer remain in cocoons. Constant media exposure gives them adequate breadth of vision and judiciousness to look at and survive in the world independently.

As a censorship measure, most of the parents prevent their adolescent child from watching television. Parents forget that restriction of activity increases curiosity level. Children then start going outside to perform the forbidden act and enjoy sometime with television. That is when they start lying to their parents.

Instead of stopping the children from watching a particular soap parents should get them involved in their favorite activities. Parents should spent quality time with their own adolescent. You could read a bedtime story, play a game, or go for a walk together.

Parents should keep on exploring their child. Every child is unique and every adolescent craves attention and love.

Half of the parental stress can be reduced if parents only change their perception. The parents who are working should make sure that they are able to bifurcate their professional and personal life. They should not carry their official tensions back home. They should not take out their frustrations on their children. Children should be treated as clay as they too can be molded into many shapes as per the requirement.

Grooming an adolescent involves a proper balance of love and law. Parents should know exactly when to scold a child and when to love him dearly. Most of the parents mishandle this zone.

Respect your child’s privacy. Give him space and always trust him. With enough trust and privacy, the child would never feel the need to lie. Even if he does so, then guilt would rise to the extent where he would automatically confess the truth.

Before exams, every student passes through a major traumatic state. Give them your support and comfort. Always try to handle your child in such a way that it forces your child to trust you and is able to confide in you. Try to understand your child. When does he need you? When does he want to stay alone?
Our reactions to various life-events are based on our own personal histories. For the most part, we never completely understand the deep-down causes of all our feelings. What we must realize is that our feelings of stress come from inside ourselves and that we can learn to keep our stress reactions under control. Here are some tips, which can help:

• Apart from being a parent, you should also have your own time. Reserve time each week for your own activities.
• Take care of your health with a good diet and regular exercise. Parents need a lot of energy to look after children.
• Avoid fatigue. Go to bed earlier and take short naps when you can.
• Take a break from looking after the children. Ask for help from friends or relatives to take care of the children even for a short time once a week to get some time for yourself.
• Talk to someone. Sharing your worries is a great stress reducer!
• Learn some ways of unwinding to manage tension. Simple daily stretching exercises help relieve muscular tension. Vigorous walking, aerobics or sports are excellent ways for some people to unwind and work off tension; others find deep-breathing exercises are a fast, easy and effective way to control physical and mental tension.
• If you are feeling pressured, tensed or drawn out at the end of a busy day, say so. Tell your children calmly that you will be happy to give them some attention soon but first you need a short “quiet time” so that you can relax.
• Practice time management. Set aside time to spend with the children, time for yourself, and time for your spouse and/or friends. Learn to say “no” to requests that interfere with these important times. Cut down on outside activities that cause the family to feel rushed.