We all want our teens to become responsible adults someday, but how do we do it? And what is our ultimate goal anyway?
Our oldest son is turning 18 this month, so I have been pondering these questions for a long time. And with 3 teenagers in the house (plus 5 others who will be teens someday), we have a lot of discussions about what should be allowed and what is expected and where to draw the lines.
Sometimes finding the right balance between the boundaries we place on our teens and how much freedom we allow them can be confusing. Today, I’m sharing our family’s philosophy on this subject over at Life of a Homeschool Mom. Please pop on over there to read Balancing Boundaries and Freedom with your Teen and let me know what you think!
How do you handle boundaries and freedom with your teens?
Elizabeth is a military spouse, veteran, and mother of eight. Above and beyond caring for her family, her mission is to offer words that sustain weary moms and to empower and equip them to live and parent with purpose.
Couldn’t leave a comment over there on my mobile! Too many ads and links. Your post encourages me about my own teens. Setting individual boundaries, cheering them on, helping them gain responsible freedom and growth. Thanks.
I’m glad you found encouragement here. That is one of my goals!
Heading over to read this!
Hi Elizabeth,
I chose your post to be spotlighted at 100 Happy Days this Thursday. Here is the permalink http://www.cordof6.com/100-happy-days-21/ .
Oh awesome! Thanks so much for your support. I’m glad you enjoyed the post!
My 3 boys are all so different and my last teen (14) is so great, but teetering between being his sweet self and his teenage attitude. Being a mom is hard, but wonderful. 🙂
Thank you for sharing this at 100 Happy Days! Hopping on over to read it now…
Great post, Elizabeth! I left a longer comment where the rest of your post is! Blessings!
Haven’t had to think about this in 20 years so I am NO help my friend!
I read Dr. Kevin Lehman’s book “Adolescence Isn’t Terminal: It Just Feels Like It”–that helped us a lot! The hardest thing to remember is that it’s different for each child depending on their maturity and their responsibility and the trust they’ve built with you.
Anita, I totally agree with you. The tricky part is tailoring it specifically to each child and each unique situation. That’s why I recommend flexible boundaries that grow and shrink as necessary. Thanks for the book recommendation. I’ll check it out!