7 Ways To Discipline Your Teenager The Right Way

Photo by Kindel Media on Pexels.

This post may contain affiliate links. Read full disclosure here.

Being a teenager in this time and era is quite difficult as things are more overwhelming, and it doesn’t take time for a child to move down the wrong path. It is perhaps even more challenging for parents to figure out the right way to deal with teenagers as they grapple with the new norms. However, as a parent, you must be your child’s moral compass and help them out whenever they begin moving astray while keeping in mind to give them their personal space.

Hence, it would be best if you learned to know when to take what action and when to stay quiet and wait for them to come to you. And throughout this journey, you should use various ways to discipline your teenager as they go through this rebellious phase.

1. Open Dialogue

Befriending your child and allowing them to share things with you in a non-judgemental and respectful space is one of the best ways to discipline them. It is why we have put this technique at the top of our list. Practice an open dialogue strategy with your teenager so they can easily trust you and communicate without fearing your anger. As a result, they will not mind telling you about a crush, peer pressure, bullying they experience, or drug and alcohol abuse.

If you have a friendly yet parental relationship with your child, you can help them out in more ways than one can imagine. If somehow things get out of control and they get addicted to anything due to peer pressure or stress, you can be the first person they come to for help. For any substance abuse disorders, you should look for help and support from professional services such as Serenity at Summit, where your child can learn to let go of their addiction and come back stronger.

You help them impress the crush they have and guide them. You can be the person they come to when they experience their first heartbreak. And You need to know not to get angry every time they do something wrong and give them their space so that they can speak with you and blossom into extraordinary adults.

2. Let them handle things

Now that your child is transitioning to adulthood, give them a chance to fix their mistakes and mend their ways. If they have had a fight or damaged anything anywhere, allow them to figure out how to handle it with some guidance if necessary.

Let them go to the person they have hurt and talk to them. If they’ve broken something, let them pay for it themselves, even if it means they need to take a part-time job to pay back. Your child should learn these things under your roof so that when they step out into the real world, they are prepared for it all and can handle things maturely.

3. Give them more responsibilities

As your teenager is close to entering adulthood, give them more chores. Maybe ask them to do the grocery this month or cook dinner on weekends. These responsibilities will make them know how hard you work and how it is not all rainbows and unicorns in an adult’s life. Give them a chance to prove themselves and understand how things work in the real world.

4. Avoid issuing commands

Teenagers are in a phase where they are always looking to find ways to objectify and be rebellious. Well, you should act cleverly and not walk into their traps. You can do this by not issuing commands and asking them to do things differently. For example, instead of saying, “You cannot go out with your friends tonight,” try and say, “Can you cancel your plans today because I wanted us to have a family dinner together and spend some quality time.”

5. My house, my rules

We agree that befriending your child is essential, but sometimes it’s a good idea to let them know who controls everything in the house. Do not let your child walk all over you all the time. And do not let them get away with wrong actions every time. Now and then, let them know that it is your house, and until they live in it, they have to follow your rules; otherwise, there will be severe consequences. It is vital to remind them of the set rules for communication. Check discourteous behavior and rudeness when your child ignores what you are saying, rolls their eyes, and disregards your rules. Explain the house’s rules and make them understand why they are essential.

6. Remove Privileges

If none of your verbal warnings work, it’s time to get stricter and remove some of the luxuries your child enjoys. You can decrease their screen time, give them earlier screen time or make some social adjustments in their lives. But before taking such action, identify their mistakes and how you feel like it is the last resort. Tell them they need to act responsibly, and only then will they be granted their privileges.

While doing all this, remember that this punishment should last a short time, and do not drag it out. It will only lead to your child becoming more resistant and finding ways to not listen to you. Moreover, do not opt for this method every other week, as it will only be an effective way to discipline your teenager when used less frequently. It will be a way to show your child that they have crossed their limits this time and made you angry. Hence, they will realize their mistakes, understand you better and find ways to win back your trust.

7. Ground Them Occasionally

This method of disciplining children has been used for ages and is quite successful if done correctly. What we mean by this is do not ground your child every other day as this will lead to them becoming more rebellious. Instead, use a calmer approach often, but when you feel like no method is working, and your teen has stayed out past curfew more than 2 to 3 times consecutively, skipped school, or gone out without informing you a couple of times, it’s time to take strict action and ground them. You can ground them for a few days or a week; the decision is yours.

Conclusion 

Encourage your teenager and reward them whenever they do something good. Spend quality time with them and let them feel loved by you every day so that they do not act out frequently. Teenagers are in a phase where they are figuring things out, and this is why your constant support will only help them become better. But, remember, the second they start acting out, you need to put on your strong face and guide them through various disciplining techniques so they do not go down the wrong path.

*This article is based on personal suggestions and/or experiences and is for informational purposes only. This should not be used as professional advice. Please consult a professional where applicable.