Parenting Teens: How To Get Them To Bed On Time.
A mother recently described to me a regular night in her house. “Ever night it’s the same story I begin to tell my daughter to get ready for bed at about 10:00 and she asks for ten more minutes to watch TV and then she begins to get her books ready, take a shower etc. until it’s twelve o’clock.” How, she asked, can I get m 14 year old girl to bed at, what I think is a reasonable hour?
I think the way to go about this is really very simple to explain (but unfortunately not too easy to implemnet)
Firstly you have to make it very clear to her what the expatation is. It is NOT to stop watching televsion at 10:00 it is to be in bed by 10:30. How she does is the way she wants to. Keep your focus on what you want and not the proccess.
This has to be made clear before the evening begins. If it is during her night it is too hard to break her away from it.
Also the consequence has to be clear. if you are not in bed by !0:30 then you will be grounded, not have access to the computer the next day, week, etc..
The are two rules for picking consequences:
1. It has to fit the crime; not to harsh and not mild
2. You have to be able to execute it. If, for instance, you won’t let her watch her favorite program tomorrow night if she isn’t in bed on time, but you like that show and you want to watch it then don’t make that to be the punishemnet.
Make sure that your spouse also agrees and will stand behind the punishment. If not then he will simply go to the mother/ father and get permishhiojn to waiver the punishement.
After that you just have to stand by your guns and do what was agreed on beforehand. It might be hard in the beginning but with pracftice it will get better.
This is somethihjng that you have to always realize when you try a new parenting stratagy; rome wasn’t built in a day. Just stick to it and be clear on what you want, and what the consequences will be and you’ll see the great results.
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