The difficult task of making a child responsible in a difficult age
Do you fear your son remains an eternal Peter Pan? Is your daughter sometimes as capricious as a child? It is true that adolescents have the right to moments of carefree and escapism, but it is a priority that they be given responsibility. They must understand that there is a limit to certain behaviors and that being responsible is not an optional. Your contribution to this process of empowerment is fundamental.
The importance of the example
If you limit yourself to listing your daughter a series of forbidden behaviors or making an outburst in front of the last lightness committed by your child, you will hardly be heard. The example can be more educational. Preventing your daughter from spending money on cosmetics makes no sense if you are wasting your salary with impulsive purchases. It is not constructive to tell your child that he must study if you are the first to leave things halfway.
A well-deserved prize
Teach your kids that fairness, education and respect for the rules are important goals and that it is not "losers" trying to reach them. If your child gives a helping hand to a struggling classmate or if your daughter helps you with housework, reserve a gift for them: they will understand that their commitment has paid off and will be encouraged to continue on this path.
Be intransigent
If dialogue and confrontation are not enough to empower your boyfriend in the troubled adolescent age, the time may have come to be uncompromising and to move on to strong manners. Do not come home within the scheduled time: the following Saturday will not be released. He did not comply with the highway code driving his scooter and he took a fine: he will pay the penalty with his pocket money. At home and with friends, he takes on a bullying attitude: talk to his professors to find a common strategy for action.
