Raising children is a task that requires extensive “on-the-job” training, which is why many women rely on new moms groups for parenting support and guidance. Often, however, as the kids get older, the mothers’ friendships fall by the wayside.
Now, new research indicates that social support isn’t just valuable for mothers of young children, it’s beneficial for moms of teens, too.
The study, published this spring in the journal Family Process, suggests that these support networks may help mothers develop closer relationships with their teens.
“Having someone to talk to about your children is essential for maintaining positive parent-child relationships,” says Melissa Lippold, an assistant professor of social work at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, and lead author of the study. “However, this type of social support impacts parenting behaviors for mothers and fathers differently.”
The study includes data from 636 rural, two-parent families who completed a series of questionnaires and in-person interviews with the researchers. They found that for moms only, social support plays a significant role in how they parent their teens, especially when they feel overwhelmed and out of control in their lives. To read more from Juli Fraga, click here.