Teenage discipline (Pt 1)

 

 

The teenage years are known to be full of various behavioral dimensions. They tend to be experimental and impressionable. They become adventurous and at extreme cases get quite rebellious. Parents tend to complain so much about their dos and don'ts and some strange behavioural patterns. They also exhibit tendencies of wanting to spend so much time with their friends and if not with the right kind of company, they tend to get caught up in terrible peer pressure.

Teenagers are known to be young adolescents between age 13-19years. At the stage of their lives they are actually going through some hormonal developmental stages. They tend to begin to become aware of the opposite sex and therefore develop feelings for them. In summary, they grow quite fast at this stage of their lives.

Teenagers are mostly misunderstood at this stage for obvious reasons but when properly engaged in their line of interest, tend to be very productive. But sometimes, they tend to be overly rude, lie, sulk, disobey, and rebellious.

How then can bad behavioral pattern in teenagers be avoided/corrected and not appear to be too controlling?

 

1. Set certain rules and standards: when you set certain boundaries and standards for them with penalties, they tend to stay in track. Moreover, making them set the penalty for flouting these rules themselves tend to make them stay within the confines of the rules. You can set a rule that says, 'when you consecutively break your curfew time thrice, you'll be grounded for a month.'

 

2. Put it in writing: write out the rules in black and white. Sign it and let your teenager sign too, then paste on conspicuous places in the house. You can paste it on the wardrobe doors, door of the refrigerator, etc to constantly serve as a reminder to both parties.

 

3. Be firm and ensure consistency: both parents should unanimously agree on the implementation of proper discipline to be mete out on the child when rules have been flouted. When a parent take sides with the child, proper discipline will not be ensured and the teenage who is a master manipulator latches on the parent's weakness and gap. So both parents must be on the same page.

 

 

4. Living by example: can you give what you don't have? Are you a parent who believes in 'do what I say but not what I do'? If you are, then you may not be able to succeed well in instilling discipline in your teenager. Both parents must ensure they live a life worth emulating by their wards. If this is not in place, it will be most likely impossible to preach discipline and good moral behavior. So parents, uncles, aunties around these teenagers should live right especially in the presence of these teenagers because they tend to learn by example.

 

...it is the wish of every parent to raise role models and cornerstones, what other ways do you think parents can lovingly ensure discipline in their teenagers?

 

Ann Curry Bids Farewell to 'TODAY' on NBC!

Personally, I admire Ann Curry a lot. I was recently watching her interview with the Sound of Music acts and she immediately got endeared to me, and I began following ‘TODAY’ on NBC solely to watch the ease at which she does her job. For me her presence on the show increased my ratings for NBC (please don’t ask me why) but I just enjoyed watching her do her thing.
Hearing of her departure from ‘TODAY’ this morning got me a bit edgy and cranky. I never knew how unconsciously her person has affected me positively, but like I know so well that change is the most constant thing in life and I have to start getting used to not seeing her again  on NBC’s ‘TODAY’. Who will then be my next NBC idol; will it be Savannah Guthrie, one of the co-hosts of the third hour, who has been asked to replace Curry? Well, I really can’t tell now, maybe I have to give it time (do I really have that time?).