Re: Controlling behavior of teenagers
Something that many parents fail to realize is that they need to set the example for their kids. If parents lie or cheat then of course the children willlearn to do so. "Do what I SAY, not what I do" is a recipe for failure.
You dont need to remove the privelege of cell phone or laptops, just be sure to monitor them. And let them know that they're being monitored and that privacy is a privelege earned.
I have to say that I'm pretty disturbed with some of the things I've learned lately from Desi teens who come over for their college years. I dont trust them for the most part and think that they are not a good influence on my boys. Rules, regulations, laws and parental controls are by far more important to american parents from the things I've seen and are adhered to much more by american teens, no matter what their heritage. In Pakistan, rules are to sneered at. In USA, you follow the rules or you pay the price.
I'm not desi-bashing here, its just something that has become very apparent to me in the very recent past. And it could very well be just that I'm meeting that particular group and they are actually not representative but somehow I suspect that this may not be the case. But am very welcome to responses, ideas and suggestions.