Teens and Curfews
As the summer days lazily roll in and the sun lingers into the night, the inevitable question from any teenager always arises, "How late can I stay out?" The scenario is all too familiar.
Maybe you let your teen stay out late one night, or maybe they called and asked for an extension of their current curfew.
You cautiously give into their request yet find yourself anxiously sitting by the phone, doing anything to pass the time until your teen is home safe.
Maybe you decided not to give your teen a late curfew one night.
Your teen stomps their foot, leaves in a huff and slams the door in protest.
Giving into a late curfew will surely cause some late night anxiety on behalf of the parent, but the overly strict approach has its drawbacks too.
A number of factors can influence a parent's decision to grant a late curfew, but the decision is still a difficult choice to make.
Since every parent and their teen's relationship is as unique as the next, it's important not to draw too general of conclusions regarding a curfew.
Whereas many teens view a late curfew as a right to be had, parents understand it as a privilege to be earned.
At the heart of the relationship between a teen and their curfew lies a misunderstanding regarding this distinction as a right or privilege.
As parents are largely looking out for their children's safety, understanding a curfew as a privilege may better help parents gauge how to best address the issue.
In order to avoid the extremes as to granting or not granting a late curfew, perhaps the best approach is to compromise with your teen.
Establishing a good grade policy is a smart place to start.
Good grades, as a precursor to a late curfew, demonstrate how the successes of your teen's education reflect the benefits of their personal life.
By understanding the correlation between academics and its effects on the privileges of a successful life, earning a curfew will instill a hardworking character that is necessary throughout life.
Good grades aside, your decision to give your teen a cell phone may also be another factor.
Since the cell phone bill is often the financial responsibility of a parent, establish a check-in system whereby your teen must call or text you to check-in as part of their continued cell phone usage.
Utilizing phone features may also be a useful tool.
Maybe your teen must call you from a landline if they are spending the night out, or maybe they must check-in to a specific location using a smart phone application.
Whatever your decision may be, using technology to maintain contact is a practical medium to establish a compromise of both honesty and trust.
Although these guidelines are only mere suggestions, it is ultimately up to the parents themselves to establish appropriate boundaries.
Since parents know their own children better than anyone else, use your unique relationship with your teen to establish the best case to suit your specific purposes.
While a late curfew is ultimately a parent's decision regardless of their teen's input, a compromise between a teen's wants and a parent's concerns offers your teen the ability to establish accountability and responsibility, yet still provides them with a structured lifestyle to grow and mature into their own person.
Maybe you let your teen stay out late one night, or maybe they called and asked for an extension of their current curfew.
You cautiously give into their request yet find yourself anxiously sitting by the phone, doing anything to pass the time until your teen is home safe.
Maybe you decided not to give your teen a late curfew one night.
Your teen stomps their foot, leaves in a huff and slams the door in protest.
Giving into a late curfew will surely cause some late night anxiety on behalf of the parent, but the overly strict approach has its drawbacks too.
A number of factors can influence a parent's decision to grant a late curfew, but the decision is still a difficult choice to make.
Since every parent and their teen's relationship is as unique as the next, it's important not to draw too general of conclusions regarding a curfew.
Whereas many teens view a late curfew as a right to be had, parents understand it as a privilege to be earned.
At the heart of the relationship between a teen and their curfew lies a misunderstanding regarding this distinction as a right or privilege.
As parents are largely looking out for their children's safety, understanding a curfew as a privilege may better help parents gauge how to best address the issue.
In order to avoid the extremes as to granting or not granting a late curfew, perhaps the best approach is to compromise with your teen.
Establishing a good grade policy is a smart place to start.
Good grades, as a precursor to a late curfew, demonstrate how the successes of your teen's education reflect the benefits of their personal life.
By understanding the correlation between academics and its effects on the privileges of a successful life, earning a curfew will instill a hardworking character that is necessary throughout life.
Good grades aside, your decision to give your teen a cell phone may also be another factor.
Since the cell phone bill is often the financial responsibility of a parent, establish a check-in system whereby your teen must call or text you to check-in as part of their continued cell phone usage.
Utilizing phone features may also be a useful tool.
Maybe your teen must call you from a landline if they are spending the night out, or maybe they must check-in to a specific location using a smart phone application.
Whatever your decision may be, using technology to maintain contact is a practical medium to establish a compromise of both honesty and trust.
Although these guidelines are only mere suggestions, it is ultimately up to the parents themselves to establish appropriate boundaries.
Since parents know their own children better than anyone else, use your unique relationship with your teen to establish the best case to suit your specific purposes.
While a late curfew is ultimately a parent's decision regardless of their teen's input, a compromise between a teen's wants and a parent's concerns offers your teen the ability to establish accountability and responsibility, yet still provides them with a structured lifestyle to grow and mature into their own person.
