My Child Broke the Parenting Contract for Teens Rules: What Should I do?
In today's modern world, every teenager wants independence and freedom. They like to imitate their parents and elders. It is very important for the youngsters to understand their parents' expectations. Parenting contract for teens can help the parents define and explain what they want from their teenage children and how they want them to behave.
If you want your teenage child reach home before 10 PM, then you can include this clause in the contract. You need to mention the consequences that if the rules mentioned in the contract are not obeyed, they would be punished. The punishment should also be predefined to avoid any confusions or misunderstandings.
The consequences for disobeying the rules should be stated clearly in the parenting contract for teens. You can break it down as first offense, second offense and so on. The privileges and the responsibilities should be mentioned in the contact.
Here is a trick to avoid the teenager to repeat the same mistake. If the same mistake is repeated by the child, the punishment should be increased. If the child breaks the rule again and again, then the punishment should be enhanced. This would prevent your child from repeating the mistakes.
Parenting contract for teens can include several issues and problems like drugs, dating, curfew, alcohol and excessive usage of mobile phone or television. It is a good idea to have a contract prepared by the teachers and another one can be made by the parents. Even if you want separate contracts for the different activities, you can do that too.
There is no point in fighting with your teenage child if he / she could not abide to the rules and regulations mentioned in the agreement. Once the child breaks the rules of parenting contract for teens, the parents should sit with the child and discuss what made him / her break the rule. Listening to the child's concerns can help you find the appropriate solution to the problem.
Whether your child is 15 or 18 years old, parenting contract for teens can be a good option to make them turn into responsible adults. The basic rules like no lying, no stealing, behaving nicely with the elders applies to all the children irrespective of their ages. You need to make sure that your child follows these common rules because if the child forms a bad habit at a growing age, it would be difficult for anyone to change it later on.
Parenting contract for teens can help you strengthen the relationship with your teenage child. Do not hesitate to ask the child if he / she is dating someone or taking any kind of drugs. There's no doubt that the teenagers demand privacy. But as parents, you should keep a watch on your child's activities. You should know how your kids' friends are and where they go. Wrong company can spoil your child.
So, hope for the best and prepare your teenage child for the worst!
