| As your child crosses over into that strange and | | | | not work for an older child; so instead, a parent can |
| wonderful land of adolescence you may be forgiven | | | | use consequences to establish good behavior. You |
| for thinking you have an alien living in your house. | | | | must make sure you tell your child the consequences |
| Several factors working in combination affect the way | | | | before enforcing the rule. If for instance your daughter |
| a teenager behaves and interacts with other people. | | | | already knows she is responsible for doing the laundry |
| The combined stress of exploring their independence, | | | | and she does not do it, be sure she understands that |
| the pressures of schoolwork, societal expectations as | | | | the consequence will be that she cannot go out or talk |
| well as the hormonal changes your child experiences | | | | on the phone until the laundry is finished. |
| may create problems for everyone in your family. | | | | Be consistent and do not change the rules all the time! |
| As a Parent, you may find that you may have to | | | | If there is a good reason for changing the rules, |
| adjust your parenting style and discipline guidelines if | | | | discuss it with your teen. Make the rules clear and |
| your child has become a discipline problem and if that | | | | make sure they understand why and when the new |
| problem is not what one would call spreading their | | | | rule will go into effect. |
| wings. A change in approach may help you to | | | | Be calm and let them know that bad behavior is |
| accommodate the new son or daughter you are now | | | | unacceptable. Let them know too that you still love |
| raising. | | | | them and you will always be there to support them. |
| You may find your teenager no longer respects your | | | | Remember, it is the behavior you do not like, not the |
| rules and that they will test you more than they did | | | | child. Make sure they know that. |
| before they entered adolescence. This is normal. Here | | | | Do not slam doors, shout or yell. This may work the |
| are some guidelines for teen discipline. | | | | first time you do it, but after sometime, your child will |
| As your child gets older and goes into teenage hood, | | | | get used to it and stop listening. You also cannot |
| limit the rules to only those issues that are critical, for | | | | expect your child not to yell and shout at you or other |
| example homework, curfew, health and driving safety. | | | | people if you are doing the same to them. Your |
| You can provide advice and support on other issues, | | | | discipline approach instead should be that you talk and |
| but do not make everything into a rule; otherwise you | | | | listen to them as you would an adult, and help them |
| will lose their attention. Allow your teenager a bit of | | | | understand the reasons behind what you are doing |
| room to make mistakes and spread their wings, it is a | | | | and why the issue is important. Doing it this way |
| good way to learn. | | | | teaches your child valuable skills for conflict resolution. |
| Establish an understanding of what you consider | | | | Do not threaten your child. Unless you want your child |
| 'critical' versus what you would prefer. For example, | | | | to develop the same behavior, do not hit them or |
| keeping their grades up and doing their homework | | | | threaten them or spy on them. Be consistent and firm |
| may be paramount to you, while keeping their room | | | | and establish clear boundaries. Give them their privacy |
| clean ever week may simply be a preference. | | | | and respect, this way, your children will feel valued and |
| Consequences are a good way of establishing good | | | | able to reciprocate. |
| behavior and discipline. The time-out technique does | | | | |