You can forget with all the things to worry about with raising teens that they should be pushed in a positive direction and not reminded towards a bad one. If you have thought about it in some time, think about your goals for them. How many “Hope they don’ts” are in there?”
“Hope you don’t’s.” I hope you don’t get pregnant, hope you don’t get caught up with the wrong crowd, hope you don’t lose sight of good goals, hope you don’t do drugs, become that teen, become me when I was your age. Boooy, I did some dumb stuff! “Hope you donts” aren’t ways of setting goals just running from a potentially bad future. Furthermore, since your teen doesn’t get the ripple of their actions like you do, you end up frustrated with repeat and your teen knows you’re crazy since they don’t see any of that stuff happening to them.
“Hope you donts” are not ways to develop mission statements for teens, they are way you reveal your inner fears and worries on your teen. They really need your confidence in their ability and not their doubt.
Tags: teen parenting
That’s why I just pray and hope they use everything that has been taught to them in life.
Pray and hope behind closed doors so they can see the confidence on your face when the door is open!
Yes us parents really need to think about the language we use with our teens and make sure that it is encouraging and positive. You have to be very self aware of it and that is not always easy.