Do any of these parent-to-teen comments ring a bell?

• “Have you done your homework yet?”
• “You have to do better if you want to go to college.”
• “You just have to try harder—do you know how much your tutor is costing us?”
• “If you don’t get moving, you can forget about getting into a great school.”
• “What do you want to be? You can be anything! You just have to go for it!”

I think I see a few hands going up…oops, starting with mine.

Blended families are common these days since the divorce rate in the U.S. is 50%. Many couples who get divorced already have children and then remarry. This creates a situation where teens are moving between two households, often with new siblings, where the rules in each home are different. This causes anxiety and confusion for teens and their parents, so here are some helpful guidelines to keep things easy during and after a divorce.

1.  Be Clear and Consistent. If things are similar between households and they know what to expect, it can reduce your child’s anxiety tremendously. Change causes stress, so try to keep routines the same. Consistency creates predictability which allows them to feel more secure so they can focus on school and other priorities. Pick your battles and come to an agreement with your former spouse about what’s most important for your child’s well being since you won’t agree on everything.