How do you set up curfews for teens?
Curfews are important because they set up reasonable boundaries to protect your family culture. But know that teens hate fixed, out-of-date, and inhuman rules with a passion. (Have you noticed?) They want to be involved in the process of establishing them. So sit down with your teens and work together on a list of specific rules for your household. Give them the opportunity to come up with ideas, add to the list, and comment on anything related to each of the rules. Here are a few simple rules for putting curfews in place.
(1) Involve your teens in setting their nighttime boundaries. Reach an agreement together as to a curfew time that is age-appropriate for each teen. COMPROMISE, if necessary. At 14, you may want her home at 11:00pm. She wants 11:30pm. Reach a middle point and agree on it — say 11:15pm. Or if she has good reasons for 11:30pm, go with it. You don’t always have to be the (...continue reading)
Dr. Susan Smith Kuczmarski is an expert on family culture. Trained as a social scientist, she has done extensive research on how children learn social skills and how teens become leaders. During the course of a career spanning 30 years, she has taught at 7 universities, conducted frequent workshops for parents, and worked one-on-one with teens. Dr. Kuczmarski is known for interactive teaching style, cutting-edge material, and connection with her audiences. She currently teaches at the Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University. She holds a Doctorate in Education from Columbia University, and is the author of four books, two on families and two on leadership.
