Structuring Appropriate "Logical" Consequences
"How do I know if I'm being too strict - or too lenient - with my rebellious teenage daughter?" The purpose of disciplining irresponsible behavior is to teach teens about the real world. There are basically two ways to discipline: naturally and logically. Natural consequences occur as a natural result of behavior and choices without parental intervention (e.g., the teen parks he car in a ‘no parking’ zone – she gets a ticket and has to pay it with her allowance money). However, there are times when allowing natural consequences to occur is much too dangerous (e.g., the teen experiments with drugs – she gets addicted). When natural consequences are too dangerous, it’s time to create logical consequences. In general, these involve some loss of privileges as a result of inappropriate behavior. Here’s how to structure appropriate logical consequences: 1. The consequence should be delivered assertively. “It’s almost midnight! Where the hell have you been? You k