IMG: Sxc.hu

First, while sitting in the car (at Wal-Mart) we saw a teen on a bike almost get hit. But amazingly he jumped the car and landed safely and away he went, there were a bunch out there in the far parking lot just hanging out in their revved up vehicles and riding bikes (bicycles by the way). That is until the police showed up and stayed there for a bit. My guess is he was telling them they had to scatter or about the curfew.

The CURFEW is what spiked our conversation, he believes kids should have no curfew. I, of course couldn’t disagree more. He understands why there is one during the school year but not summer. He thinks “adults” take away too many rights or make too many rules. ie, can’t skateboard in public areas, must wear a bike helmet, curfews, can’t loiter, etc. He says summer is for fun, it’s the one time they don’t have a ton of teachers telling them what to do.

Of course I disagreed explaining why their are rules, etc. But what’s your take on it? Do you believe in having a curfew, if so what is it?

Post from: Blisstree

Should Kids have Summer Curfews?

Guess what my teenager’s curfew is. 10pm on school nights and midnight on other nights. It’s funny how you have a completely different perspective on these things when you have children of your own.

No matter what their curfew is, teens will rarely be happy with it. Curfews can be the cause of many fights during these high school years. But there are things parents can do to minimize the arguments.

Explain why you need to impose a curfew
Contrary to what teenagers may think, we don’t impose a curfew just to be mean. We actually have specific reasons. Those reasons may be different for each family and different for each teen, but there are a few reasons I think we can all agree on.

Your city may have a curfew for minors. Some cities, especially those with high crime, have laws about what time those under 18 need to be off the streets. If they aren’t home by curfew they could face a fine. In that case it’s out of your hands (unless you want them home even earlier than that).

There is rarely a good reason for teens to be out in the middle of the night. School events and sporting events are usually over by 10:30pm. Late night parties are often unsupervised and not a place for teens. The later your teen is out the higher chance they are partaking in an activity you don’t approve of; drinking, drugs or sex.

We don’t want our teens driving home when adults are driving home from the bars. Drunk drivers can be deadly to your teen. A teen driving at midnight is safer than one on the roads at 2am.

We worry about them. We need to know when they will be home so we know when to start worrying they won’t make it home. If we have no idea when they will be home then we won’t know they are in trouble until it may be too late.

Teens need to learn about rules and the consequences for not following those rules. The consequences for not being home by midnight may be the loss of phone or internet privileges. When they get older the consequences of not following rules could be more severe, such as the loss of their job or even jail time. Prepare them early to follow rules.

Decide on a curfew together
Teens feel better about rules when they are part of the decision-making rather than just being told. Ask her what she thinks is an appropriate time and why. Really listen to her reasoning. She may have some good points. Then give your opinion and come to an acceptable compromise.

Make the consequences clear
Don’t leave it up in air. Don’t say, “You’ll be home by 11pm or else.” Define the “what else.” Make sure your teen knows exactly what he’ll be giving up for another 15 minutes with his friends.

And like the time, let your teen help you determine what would be an appropriate punishment for missing curfew. You may be surprised at some of the things your teen comes up with.

Curfew doesn’t have to be a dirty word. Work with your teen to create an agreed upon curfew and consequences. When your teen is part of the decision-making process it makes it seem more bearable. It makes them feel like they are in control. And it often makes them be more responsible.

Post from: Blisstree

Setting A Curfew For You’re Teen

Belinda Miller wrote a great post about her experiences at the Driving Skills for Live event in Chicago. She goes in to great detail about how to come out of a skid. It’s a great read for your teen driver.

Sribbit tells us what to do when your child lies. I could have used this a week ago when my oldest lied about his homework.

Does your teen know how to behave on a date?

Depression is on the rise in teen girls. “Depression is the leading cause of suicide, which in turn is the third-leading cause of death for 15- to 24-year-olds in the United States.” Get the facts and protect your teen. WebMD has some tips on spotting depression in your teen.

Get your teenage girls active. Exercise in teenagers may protect them from breast cancer later in life.

Talking to your teens about sex.

One teen who felt like the legal system wronged her, went to YouTube to talk about her rape. She says she was raped by her 23-year-old boyfriend, but the prosecution dropped the case saying it was consensual.

Teens need to be aware that their right to free speech does not give them the right to defamation. Pranks on Facebook and MySpace can, not only get them in trouble, but could be against the law.

Are your teens sexting? “Privacy may be part of the appeal, but what many teens don’t realize is how easily the message or pictures they send can be forwarded to dozens of unwanted recipients.”

How does your city fare on Allstates list of cities with the highest rates of deadly crashes?

The weak dollar is causing some students to rethink their study abroad options.

If your teen doesn’t graduate from high school or get his/her GED you may face jail time. At least that’s what happened to one father in Ohio.

Kids with glasses are more intelligent and honest.

Vanessa Van Petten has some great tips to teach teens how to drink (or not drink as the case may be).

Does your teen have a curfew? Here are 10 tips on setting a curfew.

Is the next thing in texting nagging? Soon doctors may be texting teens to remind them to take their medication for anxiety, ADD and other ailments.

Now teen girls can charge up their cell phones with their bra. Um…ok.

Even good moms can have teens on drugs. How can you tell and what can you do to prevent it? BlogHer tells us.

How much do you tell your kids about what you did when you were a teen? What do you say when they ask you tough questions like “how old were you when you have sex?” and “have you ever smoked pot?”

Are social networks to blame for teen suicide?

One school banned single girls from the prom. What?!?

Post from: Blisstree

Sunday Reading

If you want to share horror stories lol… feel free to do so in the comment section.

Post from: Blisstree

About Curfews…