Parenting Teenagers (12-18) Support Group
This community is focused on the joys, challenges and concerns faced by parents of teenagers (12 to 18 year olds). The major areas of child development include: physical development, perception and sensory development, communication and language development, cognitive development, emotional development and social development.
My career has became very overwhelming for my family... I am in the social services field, which means long hours, court and visiting families through the state. I have noticed a change in my interactions with my kiddos as well as their behaviors. Normally they are pretty good about doing what I ask. Lately they have been testing my resolve and acting out. I have tried to make adjustments, I pray it' not to late.
Any options on how to reach them on their levels? I try to set up family time, outings and fun things on the weekends because I'm too tried on the weekdays.
Few but clear non-forgiveable lines.
For me...I never once checked homework past kindergarten for my son who just graduated from high school or looked more than a few times at what he or his sister were doing online.
But...my rule...if you try to Hide what you're looking at online...internet WILL be shut off. For both him and his sister. I don't care if a school project is due the next day.
I only once had to shut off cable TV. I did it back when they were in middle school. But they had to "earn" it back...and that took weeks. So point was made...that I meant what I said.
Mostly the few times I checked...I was just curious about what they were doing.
As far as attitude. That came and went. I never expected it to be perfect. But the kids would try to get into the habit of talking to me the same way that they talked to their friends...and that wasn't and isn't okay.
At one point I made a rule that "everyone under 18 must refer to ALL elected officials by their TITLE and Last Name." (I got tired of the very disrespectful terms that teenagers were referring to politicians from BOTH the left and right.) It was a good rule. I'm sure that they still broke it among their friends...but they hid it from me...and that's how it should be.
IDK...that's just what I did and am doing (18 year old son, 15 year old daughter).
Good luck with your own, Patti
I get told that they are really sweet and respectful children; and that I am doing a great job. I am researcher and I just want to make sure I dining my best so they can do their best.
Thanks for support. I will continue to keep an open mind and stand firm.
let them earn age appropriate trust... in other words until they f-up, you gotta let them go a bit
if you treat them like they are sneaks...
agree with social media / internet, ... if i pay the bill, there is no 100% privacy for them
that is in their best interests , too easy to get in major trouble online & social