There’s no greater DoAhead on the planet than raising good kids. It can feel like a daunting task when they are little but sometimes it can feel impossible when they become teens. One such example has to do with weekend recreation. You know the drill. It’s a Friday night and your beyond exhausted waiting for your teen to get home. Oh, it’s not that you have a bad kid.
It’s just part of parenting teens.
Years ago a mother who mentored me told me that there are two seasons in which a parent becomes sleep deprived. The first season is when the precious gems are tiny and keep us up all night because they are looking for food. The second season is when they are not so tiny and they keep us up all night because they are looking for a good time.
Doc and I are incredibly grateful for our three GOOD kids. They work hard. They treat people right. They make ALOT of really good choices.
It’s just that…well, they’re teens. I’m not going to ding my Darlings so how about I describe what Doc and I can attest to regarding our own teenage years?
- We thought we were invincible.
- We thought we knew as much (if not more) than our parents.
- We took chances or we spent time with others who took chances.
And somehow…we survived. Praying parents and parents that set guidelines and boundaries were a huge part of what kept Doc and I on the right path.
One important guideline was a curfew.
Our parents said it, and now we are saying it, “Nothing good happens after midnight.” We believe that’s true and yet our position regarding the exact time of a curfew has morphed about as much as our kids have.
The time chosen usually depends upon several factors:
1. The age of the child.
2. The activities of the evening.
3. Who the activities will be spent with.
4. What’s going on the next day (or two).
The exact time of curfew may shift depending upon any of the above. Another aspect of curfew utilization has to do with how it is implemented. I learned from other Mom’s that there are some creative ways to do this.
Once everyone has agreed upon a time to be home, the teen lets a parent know they are home by doing any one of the following:
- Turn off the light in the hall when they arrive.
- If in bed, give Mom or Dad a kiss on the cheek when they get home.
- Turn off the alarm on the nightstand (great idea since all parties involved know the alarm will go off if left to itself.)
How does your teen let you know they are home?
Today’s DoAhead Darling is just a tiny peek into this aspect of parenting. There are many more ideas out there pertaining to curfews…how to establish them and how to implement them. Check out this helpful link! (Resource for Curfews)
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This post is brought to you by my very special friend, Cindy Krall – a/k/a The DoAhead Woman! Visit her website and learn more about her, her ministry and how she can help you be a “Do Ahead Woman” too!
Cindy Krall is a Mom from the Midwest. She’s been married 27 years to her
high school sweetheart, Doc. She’s also the grateful Mom of three Darlings
(well.most day’s they’re darlings.) The oldest is in college. The younger
two are in high school.
When Cindy’s not coming up for air from the laundry pile she’s volunteering
at her church, speaking at women’s events and writing. She blogs at
www.doaheadwoman.com. Although she loves to talk about DoAheads (in the
kitchen, in relationships, in LIFE) the DoAhead she’s most passionate about
is the one that Jesus provided on the cross. In her words, “Only Jesus could
redeem a woman as undone as me.”
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