Parentzilla

“Accidental Adolescence” should be avoided at all costs!

Parents tell me they didn’t spend much time thinking about raising a teenager until they were right in the middle of it.  You can either stumble into the teenage years without a plan, or you can take this parenting stage by the horns with some strategic planning.

Here are 3 investments you can make with your 10 year old now, that you can cash in when they are 18!

1.  Regular Appointments- Your 10 year old probably does not have an overwhelming social calendar.  So this is the time to initiate a consistent appointment where they know they will have your full attention.  Whether it is once a week or once a month is not as important as making sure they can trust you won’t miss it.  You should plan for this time to be a great mixture of  shoulder-to-shoulder fun and face-to-face relationship building.  Make sure to start this now before your teen gets their driver’s license and fills their calendar with every activity but you.  When you are sitting at your child’s high school graduation you will not say, “Man, those years of regular appointments were a waste of time and money. I regret it so much.”

2. Our Family is Different- “Why can’t I do that, Johnny’s parents let him do it!”  If you have not started hearing this yet, you will.  Start now teaching your 10 year old a foundational principle that your family will not make their decisions based on the activity of other families.  Instead of focusing on the negative side of this, try to help your teenager see the positive things that your family experiences because you choose to be different.  There is a real important life skill to teach your teenager here.  You don’t do something because everyone else does it.  If you focus on it now, it might help you later to fight about it less.

3.  Corral the Cell Phone- The moment you hand a cell phone to your teenager there will be a minefield of pitfalls that you will need to guide them through.  The typical cell phone scenario begins with a teenager who has mastered the ability to incessantly ask for a cell phone until it feels like your ears are bleeding.  In a moment of weakness you buy them a cell phone and you temporarily enjoy the fun of giving them a great gift.  Then the arguments start.  If you wait until they already have the cell phone to draw the boundaries than you have a big fight on your hands.  Far better to have that talk before you hand them the phone.

I am almost done with my first Ebook called “A Beginner’s Guide to Giving Your Kid Their First Cell Phone”.  I am really excited about all the practical stuff that will be in there including a customizable cell phone contract to use with your teenager.  Sign up for my email list (sign up is on the sidebar to the right) to be the first to get a copy!

Free Content

Open to all visitors