1. Be Clear About Specific Responsibilities
Let your child know she has responsibilities and spell them out as clearly as possible. These responsibilities should include keeping up acceptable grades, taking care of household chores and staying clear of all unacceptable and illegal activities. He should know that failing to live up to these responsibilities will result in certain consequences, such as "grounding" or loss of electronic gadgets. Explain to him that with maturity comes greater responsibility.
2. Redefine Responsibilities for Teens as They Age
As teens mature, redefining their responsibilities is crucial. While a young teen may not be allowed to stay at home alone, an older one is often mature enough to handle staying alone overnight or even for a weekend. A parent who does not allow a teen to take on additional responsibilities as she ages is likely to have, in a few years' time, an "adult" who is overly dependent and unable to establish her own life away from her parents' home. Let her take on more and more responsibilities while holding her accountable and monitoring her. This type of support will help a teenager become confident and self-assured.
3. Allow Teens the Room to Fail as Well as Succeed
It's painful to watch your child fail, but you need to accept that teens will not always make the best decisions. When your teenager is given added responsibilities, mistakes will be made, as this is a learning process. Allow her to make "bad" choices and experience the consequences. Step in, however, when there is a situation in which the choice could be dangerous or deeply hurtful. Remember your child will often learn more from a single failure than a multitude of successes.
