Discipline for Teens

The mobile phone has become the favored communication toy for the majority of American adolescents. Cell-phone texting has become the preferred method of basic communication between adolescents and their peers, with cell calling a close second. Some 75% of 12-17 year-olds now own cell phones. Some 72% of all adolescents -- or 88% of adolescent cell phone users -- are text-messagers. More than half of adolescents (54%) are daily texters. Among all adolescents, their frequency of use of texting has now overtaken the frequency of every other common form of interaction with their peers. Among these adolescent texters: 14-17 year-old texters typically send and receive 60 text messages a day 15% of adolescents who are texters send more than 200 texts a day, or more than 6,000 texts a month Males typically send and receive 30 texts a day; females typically send and receive 80 messages per day Half of adolescents send 50 or more text messages a day, or 1,500 texts a month, and one i

Sometimes parents get frustrated with their adolescents when they violate basic family rules (e.g., curfews), and grounding them becomes a natural reaction. Grounding can be an effective disciplinary technique if it is applied at the right time, in the right circumstances, and for the right length of time. But if not, it can really drive a wedge between moms and dads and adolescents. Particularly with adolescents, it is often the case that interaction with their peer-group is a strong priority. As they mature, it is a natural course of events for them to branch out from family and familiar faces and connect with friends their own age. After all, we do hope they grow up and move out at some point. Gradually connecting more and more with those outside the family is an important part of that transition to adulthood and independence. As moms and dads, we intuitively know that these relationships are important to our adolescents, so when we are ready to impose discipline, taking