Discipline
So far, you’ve gotten used to making all the decisions for your child and may even have been quite a controlling parent. However, when your child reaches adolescence, the authoritarian approach isn’t the best option as rebellious behaviour is how a teenager asserts their independence and individuality.Think back to when you were a teenager. If your parents ordered you to do something or demanded certain behaviour, didn’t it make you want to do exactly the opposite?
Getting the balance right
You don’t want to be so lenient that your child will run wild, nor do you want to instil too much discipline so that they rebel.
- Have an open relationship with your teenager. If they know they can come to you with their problems it can make life easier for both of you.
- Give them space. If they know they can approach you, they will. They don’t have to tell you everything - they are entitled to some privacy.
- Let them try out new things as long as they aren’t harmful.
- Shouting and screaming doesn’t work and sets a bad example of how to deal with problems. Stay calm and if you feel tempers are rising, take time out.
- Make sure your rules are reasonable. Let your teenager have some say so it feels like they have some ownership of them.
- Don’t control them by demand, orders or threats.
- Trust your teenager, but make sure you know what they are doing and where they are going.
- Don’t put them down or criticize them. It’s not nice to be made to feel small.
- Allow them to learn from their mistakes.
For more information on how to deal with discipline, visit the websites on the right.