We owe our teenagers structure and rules. If you have not put life structure and rules into your teenagers life when they were pre-teen, you are going to have a hard time doing it now.Children are not entitled to anything that they want, without giving something back. Set up an exchange procedure. Find out what they enjoy or are prepared to contribute to the family environment. One may enjoy cooking, one may be prepared to take out the trash, etc. Barter, but always set boundaries within which you expect them to operate. This teaches them how to set healthy boundaries for themselves when they are adults and so on into the future with their children. Teenagers without rules, boundaries and parental expectation drift along and are subject to peer pressure, low self-esteem and wishy-washy opinions. Help your teenager be a better ADULT by insisting on conformance. This is the most trying time for a parent, but also the most rewarding.
Link: Why do teenagers think we owe them something?; Your Kid
