I address the issue of teens and driving extensively in the presentations I make in schools across North America. It’s a sensitive topic for me after having been a paramedic for so many years. Even now I cannot always erase the images from my mind of the terrible accidents I have seen.
Drinking and driving is the number one cause of death for teens in Canada. It is something that we do not start talking to our kids about young enough and something we do not talk about often enough, but the more we talk to our teens about making the right choices when there is alcohol and driving involved, the more likely they will be there to celebrate their next birthday with you.
Overcoming Peer Pressure
I cannot tell you how many times I have heard a teen say that they really did not want to go in a vehicle but their friends talked them into it. It’s important that you empower your teens by giving them the ability to make choices – and experience the consequences – in all of the areas of their life. Things like letting your teens make decisions about what courses to take in school, or what kind of part-time job to get after school, or what team to join can help them feel confident enough to make the choice to say no when being pressured by friends to do something they know is wrong.
Letting your teen have a voice and an opinion can also help him or her have confidence to say no when the tough pressure hits. If your teens know that you have confidence in them to think and make decisions, they will be more likely to live up to your expectations.
Giving Your Teen an Out
Teens are extremely image conscious, and it is important that you remain aware of this. Make sure your teens know that they can blame you for having to say no. “Oh man my mom would kill me if I did that” carries a lot of weight and keeps the teen from being the target of teasing for saying something like, “I don’t want to” or “I’m scared.”
Always communicate to your teens that you are there when they need you. Let them know if they get into a situation they cannot handle, that they can always call you for help. Then follow through and be there. Don’t be angry or upset when you talk about what happened, and be sure to commend your teen for making the right choices.
Norbert Georget is an accomplished professional speaker, teen motivator, parenting expert and author of the book, No-Nonsense Parenting For Today’s Teenager – How To Feel Like A Good Parent Even When Your Teenager Hates You. You may get a FREE REPORT called No-Nonsense Parenting for the Disrespectful Teenager. All the answers you’ll need to deal with your disrespectful teenager.
Recent Comments