Laurie Gelman’s Tips For Parents of Teens

Yellow background with tulips on the left. On the left, there is also a photo of "Laurie Gelman" on Small Bits of Happiness. She is wearing a white dress, smiling, standing in a clothing store next to her books. On the right, "Interview with Author & TV Personality Laurie Gelman, Tips For Parents of Teens" is written.

In this BIT: TV personality and author, Laurie Gelman, understands the challenges of teenage years. Below, she shares her tips for parents on parenting teenagers.

Being a teenager is tough – and so is parenting. In this BIT post, Laurie Gelman, TV personality, author of the Class Mom series, and mom, shares her advice to parents of teens. Her top tips include how to prepare your teen for moving out, how to support your teen, as well as what has helped her in parenting her two daughters. Laurie Gelman is a very accomplished author, and has spent 25 years in TV broadcasting. Laurie has appeared on Live with Kelly and Ryan, Watch What Happens Live, The Talk, and other shows.

SBOH: Adolescence can be a challenging time for both teenagers and their parents. What do you believe are the most important aspects of supporting teenagers during this stage and what advice do you have for their parents?

Laurie Gelman: I think the most important thing you can do for your adolescent is listen and keep the dialogue open. Be a safe place for them to tell you things – the good the bad and the ugly. If they don’t feel judged by you, they will be comfortable telling you what’s really going on. The challenge for parents is to listen without telling them all the things they are doing wrong. It’s hard and obviously, there are times when you have to steer them in one direction or another but if they tell you they tried pot, or drinking, just ask how that went for them.

Laurie Gelman, on the far right, standing and smiling while embracing other authors.

SBOH: What advice do you wish you could have received when your two daughters reached their teen years?

Laurie: I wish someone had told me how fast it was going to go by, and to be involved as much as you can. It may seem tedious to go to yet another lacrosse game or school recital, but before you know it, you won’t be going to anything.

SBOH: What advice do you have for moms as well as teens, when their kids are getting ready to go to university?

Laurie: Learn to cook some basics! Eggs, pasta, chicken, even toast. Also, make sure they know their way around a washing machine.

On the left, Laurie Gelman's book, "Smells Like Tween Spirit" is leaning against a wall. On the right, there is a large Starbucks iced tea.

SBOH: You have had a very long and successful career in helping moms with tips from experts. What are the top three tips that you have received through the span of your career and have made the biggest impact on your life?

Laurie: I really only have one and that is to pay attention to who your kids’ friends are. No matter how well you have brought them up, they will never survive bad friends.

SBOH: We’ve been talking a lot about helping teens, but a lot of our readers are moms. What are your top tips for moms to maintain their well-being with all the stress of parenting a teen in today’s post pandemic busy world full of daily stressors?

Laurie: Everyone has their own way of coping and I feel like moms generally know how to recharge themselves – deep breaths, working out, watching ridiculous tv, reading a book, even just taking a 30-minute walk.