What’s a Good Way To Discipline My Youngster? Tips to Help Set Limits
“My teenager always violates his curfew. What should I do?”
My child is constantly lying to me about her homework. I am very frustrated.”
“My husband and I have very different parenting philosophies.We just can’t seem to get on the same page with parenting.”
“I think my teen is experimenting with drugs and alcohol. I am scared and worried, but I can’t stop him from spending time with his friends.”
Raising kids can be challenging. Parents who seek out counseling or therapy for their kids and for themselves frequently have questions about when they need to set limits with their kids and when they need to let things just be.
There are not always clear answers to these questions since each child and each parent are unique. In the end, many of these parenting decisions are made on a trial and error basis. However, in order to parent effectively, mothers and fathers must communicate to their children that they are in control and are the captains of the ship in the family’s household.
In order to assume these roles effectively, parents do need some leverage, power, or control where their youngsters are concerned. Given the fact that many young people are fascinated with their cell phones, lap tops, televisions, game consoles and hand-held devices, parents now have a simple — and frequently effective — way of setting limits with their kids.
In many instances, all you need to do is link some of the behaviors you want to increase and want to eliminate with access to your child’s favorite electronic device. For example, why not try implementing some of the following guidelines as you parent?
“Your room needs to be clean for you to use your cell phone.”
“If you get all B’s in school, you can have an I-Phone.”
“Two hours of studying earns you two hours on the X-Box.”
“After you read for an hour, you can go on line for fifteen minutes.”
“If you violate your curfew, you will be without your phone for the week.”
If you are a parent who is trying to manage your child more effectively, put the new technology to good use and integrate your kids’ fascination with these devices into your household rulebook.
