Avoiding the Teen Parenting Nightmare

First, good teen parenting means keeping your teenagers
busy so they don't have time for negative behavior. It's
important to involve kids in household chores by middle
childhood, so by their teenage years, when greater
responsibilities confront them, they are not overwhelmed.

Hence, good child rearing means teaching them before their
teenage years to do regular household chores, and being
sure to praise them when they do it well. Good teen
parenting means praising more than criticizing. Always
point out all the things they've done correctly.

Second, organize some chores to do together, as a family.
This builds a sense of family cohesiveness and unity, an
important ingredient of good parenting. For example,
once a week the family could wash the car together. Make it
fun.

Teach them to be independent and responsible by
encouraging them to participate in parent responsibilites
like filling the car with gasoline and checking the oil and
tires. Naturally, such chores will be done under
supervision.

The kitchen is a great place to illustrate good teen
parenting. Cooking can be taught gradually. Boys will
learn to enjoy cooking if an older, male cousin, who likes
cooking, can be convinced to pay a visit and teach them.
You could even have a boys or girls chef night where they
prepare a meal for mom and dad.

Third, encourage your teens to find chores that need doing
above and beyond their normal chores and pay them. For
example, household chores go unpaid, but raking the leaves
and edging the lawn might be paid chores.

Fourth, be on the look out for neighbors and friends
willing to employ your children on a part-time basis,
particularly if the work is pleasant or peaks their
interest.

Fifth, encourage your kids to participate in hobbies and
make time for them to meet and spend time with others their
age who've become involved in interesting pursuits.

Finally, be sure your teenagers are involved in outdoor
play for fun. This helps relieve excess tension and energy.

If you're unprepared for teen parenting, and find yourself
in a pickle, seek counseling immediately. Chances are your
children will listen to the counselor more than they will
listen to you, even though he or she might be repeating
your exact words. That's just how kids are. So why not
take advantage of that fact and seek counseling?

Counseling can save you and your family a great deal of
time and grief. Often your children's school provides
counseling for free.

Teen parenting is complicated. For more teen parenting
help, click here for the positive parenting page, and here,
for the parenting with love and logical consequences page.