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Handling Teenage Problem Of Breaking Curfew

Does your teenager constantly ignore the curfew that you set for her and break it despite your warnings to enforce consequences? Have you ever felt frustrated that she is always testing the limits? Just exactly why do teenagers behave in this way and what can we as parents do to ensure that they stick to the curfew we set ? Let us take a look at some possible reasons and solutions ....

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Applying Consequence When Curfew Is Broken

Teenage years are years filled with explorations, self discoveries and adjustments to physical and emotional changes for our kids. Teenagers tend to test limits, trying to find the boundaries that they can stretch to. Sometimes, they may seem to overdo it but in actual fact, they are trying to discover the limits which in fact they want. Teenagers want to have limits that they can work with. Understanding the above, let us now take a look at the following example that can help you to set curfew for your teen and have them keep it.

When your teenager breaks the curfew, first, find out the root cause of the problem. For example, is she unhappy to be at home and if so, why is she unhappy. Teenagers like to focus on their friends rather than their family. It is not surprising if she prefers hanging out with her friends then staying at home but that is no reason to break the curfew.

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Give your teenager a grace period, perhaps 15mins but if she still disobey, then you will have to enforce the consequences which you need to agree with her beforehand. Example of such consequences may be to disallow her from going out with her friends for a week.

A rule is a rule and it needs to be kept. Teenagers are always watching to see if we mean what we say and so, it is important that the agreed consequence of breaking the curfew be enforced under such circumstances. Explain to her that an agreement is an agreement and both parties need to honor it. In times to come, she will begin to recognize that she needs to exercise self control and keep to what she agreed upon.