Rules for Adolescents- What is Negotiable and What is Not

All parents know that negotiating and discussing rules and regulations with children is not an easy task. All children are different, and a rule that applies for one child might not at all apply for another. There are however, some rules that hold good for all children and there is no room for wiggling out of them. These rules are pertaining to the child's health, well being and protection. It is very important to define the consequences of these rules to the child from the beginning so that the child does not misunderstand the reasons and consequences to a rule.

The rules relating to the safety and protection of our children are of vital importance. These could range from teaching your child not to hold hot stoves to teaching them to obey laws when on their bicycle. You need to make it clear to your child that he or she has no choice but to follow these rules all the time and there can be no negotiation for such rules.

When it comes to older children like teenagers and adolescents, the rules might include parameters regarding drinking, usage of drugs and safe defensive driving. Such rules are vital to protect the child's safety, well being and health. The child should understand that there is absolutely no room for relaxing the rules and experimentation in particular social situations.

Apart from these rules, there are also rules that come under the category of those that are negotiable with out children. These include rules on how many hours a day a child can spend playing video games, the curfew by which a child should be home for dinner, when homework can be completed or how late a teenage child is allowed to come home on a weekend night. These rules should all be discussed in an honest and open manner with your child. However, it is important to exercise consistency. It is not fair if you say eleven p.m. one night and nine thirty p.m. another night as the return time when your child is going out with the same group of people. In case a curfew was broken on one night, the consequences of the violation on the next weekend night must be firmly enforced. Never bend a rule just because your child insists that he or she is genuinely sorry about the violation. It is very important to follow through with consequences that are fair and consistent.