- my iParenting
- quick clicks
- preteenagers today articles
- preteenagers today q&a
- teenagers today articles
- teenagers today q&a
- community & groups
- research baby names
- prepare a birth plan
- content channels
- ip channel rss feeds
- read birth stories
- read parenting stories
- recommended books
- e-newsletters
- safety recalls
- ip diaries
- ip store
- mom of the month
- dad of the month
- editor's letter
- letters to the editor
From Our Sponsors
- e-newsletters
- Sign up to receive our free weekly e-newsletters
- award-winning products
The iParenting Media Awards program helps parents find the best products for their families.
I'm in Charge!
Teaching Self-discipline to Your Preteen
By Teri Brown
Lambert isn't sure how to help her daughter improve in this area. "I model to her how important it is to be on time," Lambert says. "I use timers to help myself, and I keep a close eye on the clock. I think she is so used to this being my job that she is not maturing in this area."
Lambert fears her final lesson will be letting her daughter fail.
So how are we supposed to teach our children self-discipline?
Like adults, some children just naturally seem more self-disciplined than others. Susan Wickert's daughter just sailed through her preteen years, and Wickert isn't sure she did anything to facilitate her daughter's self-discipline. "Rachel has always been self-disciplined," Wickert says. "People have even made comments about it, and I tell them I have no idea where she got it."
Whether your preteen falls on the higher or lower end of the self-discipline spectrum, it's important for all parents to understand how to teach their children responsibility and self determination. It's not only crucial to their survival of the teen years, but to their success as an adult.
Patty Hansen, author of Chicken Soup for the Kid's Soul (Health Communications, 1998) and Chicken Soup for the Preteen Soul (Hci, 2000), believes that preteens are ready to learn what it means to be self-disciplined, because developmentally, they are ready to become a little more autonomous when it comes to making decisions.
"In their younger years, they looked to their parents to lead the way, and they were more readily influenced by an authority figure," Hansen says. "During the preteen years they become more aware of the 'outsie' world and begin to incorporate what they learn 'out there' into the decision-making equation."
Want to see more?
Comments
There are no comments for this article yet.Be the first to 
|
Post As:
|
||
| Enter your comment below: | ||
| Title | ||
| Comment Text | ||
| CAPTCHA | ||
| Please note that any comments submitted become the property of Disney Family / iParenting and can be edited and posted at our discrection. | ||