4 Tips To Encourage Self-Discipline In Teens

For your teen, it’s time for self-discovery.

For you, it’s about balancing letting go with holding on.

As your teen seeks independence, you can encourage self-discipline.

Here are four tips to encourage self-discipline in your teen.

One: Build trust during good times.

By listening, you're letting your child know you care for them and trust them.

Conversations can build trust--and improve the chances that they'll come to you when things aren’t going their way.

Take advantage of a long car ride to talk to each other.

Two: Guide them, but let them decide.

You may want to tell your teen what to do in a situation.

But sometimes it's better to let them work through things on their own.

Offer support by asking questions and listening.

They’ll gain the tools and experience to make life’s tough decisions.

Three: Set clear rules.

And make sure you're consistent.

If you have a rule that says homework must be done before your teen can play games each night, you'll need to stay firm.

And no matter how much your teen tries to talk you out of that rule, remember that you're the parent.

Four: Expect your teen to break some rules.

Sometimes breaking a rule teaches a teen why it was there in the first place.

Encourage your teen to talk about what happened and how they could have done things differently.

So that’s four ways to encourage self-discipline in your teen.

Build trust.

Guide them, but let them decide.

Set clear rules.

And, expect your teen to break some rules.

Encouraging self-discipline gives your teen a sense of freedom to make their own choices and mistakes.

Like every phase of their life, your presence and your care give them the direction they need as they transition to adulthood.