Just because you assume your kids are lying doesn’t mean you don’t love or like your kids. It doesn’t even mean you have to label the kids as liars. It only means that you realize your kids are lying, because kids lie.
If you assume that your kids are telling the truth because you don’t want to condemn them before they’ve done anything wrong, you’re being naive. You don’t have to walk around accusing them of lying every time they move their mouths. Just know that they are lying sometimes.
My days of believing my kids because I loved them and trusted them are completely gone. Today, I assume they tell the truth sometimes, and sometimes they lie. This keeps me on my toes and always on the alert.
If you can afford an alarm system for your house, get one. This comes in very handy not only to lower your house insurance rates, and not only to keep burglars out. This also keeps your kids in. A good alarm system alerts you when a kid is trying to sneak out of the house or trying to sneak a buddy in.
Just because your kid is happily looking at cartoons on the internet, don’t assume the cartoons are not porn. There are many sites on line now that offer pornographic cartoons, including such familiar sites as The Simpsons and many anime sites. You would be amazed…I know I was. Use parental controls, and inform your kids that you will be watching their history. If they erase their history, they risk losing the computer.
Although you can’t control, er, I mean protect your teens from everything, you can delay the inevitable by setting standards, including driving standards. If you have drivers, steps you can take to help ensure their safety include car security cams, so you can see if they’re texting or driving erratically. Keep a mileage log so you know how far they’re driving. You can also have their phones programmed so they can only communicate with a few people, lowering chances that they’ll text while driving.
Written by tundranut
I am a professional writer who freelances for various publications in print and on line.
Related Parenting Teenagers Articles