From our lovely contributors at This Mom S**t is HARD! Parenting a teen ain't easy -- But even teens need to know their parents love them! Check out one mom's solution ...
Ahhhhhhh…teenagers. Those kids of yours you suddenly hardly recognize. Those kids of yours who are trying to balance wanting their independence and needing their moms. Those kids who can go from angel-child to devil-child in a matter of seconds. Believe it or not, underneath all of that eye-rolling, texting, boundary pushing, back-talking, and rule breaking there’s still a kid who just wants to know their parents love them. Do they have to make it so dang hard? I’ve got news for you; it doesn’t have to be. Having raised one teenager with a second in the house, and a third waiting in the wings, I’ve learned a few tricks. Here are my favorite five ways to show your teenager a little love. 
You’ll notice these five strategies all involve one thing – touch. Why? Because once upon a time I read that parents should touch their kids eleven times a day. Eleven! That’s a slam dunk when they are little, you can hardly put them down. Then they start clinging to you eventually becoming more and more independent until you blink and suddenly you have a teenager who wants nothing to do with you. And said teenager certainly doesn’t want you to touch him – gross! How on earth do I get eleven touches on boys like that?!? Here’s how.
Five Super Easy Free Ways To Show Your Teenager A Little Love
1. The surprise attack Admittedly, a bit aggressive, this one is kind of fun. It’s just like it sounds, a surprise hug when they least expect it. Think when they’re doing the dishes or just walking in the door. It can be a bit tricky to coordinate and even trickier to execute, but when done correctly, the surprise attack is a ton of fun – assuming you don’t get accidentally hurt in the process. 2. The Hug Exactly like it sounds, a regular old hug. You’ve got to watch like a hawk for opportunities – they’re usually few and far between with the teenage boys. But when they come, reach those arms around those kids and squeeze. Man oh man, it’s the best!
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