If you wonder why teenagers behave irresponsibly, well, it’s because they are irresponsible. And, they will not become responsible or mature, or wise, until they engage in the process of dealing with the consequences of their choices. It is a cycle that may need to happen over and over before a teen comes to full maturity.
But sometimes the consequences employed by parents have no impact on their teen whatsoever, because they are simply meant to punish their child instead of teaching them a new way of thinking. The better approach is to allow a natural or “logical” consequence to happen. That way, the teen understands the relationship between the behavior and the result. And instead of building up anger toward their parent for inflicting punishment, they’ll get angry at themselves for being so stupid. It may be a little more drastic approach than you’ve been willing to take up until now, but it will have a more lasting effect. Continue reading “Natural Consequences Teach Self-Control”
Disrespect is one of the biggest problems I see in families today. While it can start with light jabs, if not checked, it can grow and evolve into all out punches. It can become the way the child relates to parents and family, and it can even be passed from generation to generation. Parents who fail to correct disrespect out of fear that correction will hurt their relationship may actually bring harm to all of the relationships in their child’s future.