When your teenager is old enough to start going out on their own with their friends, it’s only natural that you will worry. Who are they with? What are they doing? Are they getting into trouble? The worst thing you can do is sit around panicking because you have to let teenagers find their own way, even if that means making a few mistakes. However, you also have a responsibility to make sure that they are safe and knowing that you have put the right measures in place will put your mind at ease. These are the best safety tips to keep your teen safe when they are out on their own.
Communicate With Them
Teenagers start acting out and getting themselves into trouble because there is something wrong. Maybe they’re having trouble at school or something else is upsetting them. If you can deal with whatever is bothering them and make sure that they are happy, they are far more likely to make good decisions, so communication is the best thing you can do to keep them safe. Open communication also shows your teen that it is safe to come to you if something is wrong. This means that they are more likely to let you know if their friends were getting them into trouble, for example, so you can intervene before things get any worse.
Give Them A Phone
A lot of parents don’t like the fact that their teen is glued to a phone all the time, but you can’t deny that they are important for safety. So, don’t be too strict about phones and make sure that your teenager has one before they start going out on their own. When you are trying to find kids phone plans, make sure that you get one with unlimited call minutes. Even though the limited ones are cheaper, your teen will waste all of their minutes talking to their friends and they won’t be able to call you if they find themselves in an emergency situation.
Reward Sensible Behavior
When you start letting your teen go out on their own, it’s important that they know it’s a privilege and good behavior will be rewarded. So, start by giving them an early curfew and see how they respond. If they come home on time, every time, you can reward that by extending their curfew. By doing this, you show them that when they act responsibly, they build trust with you and their privileges are extended. But if they get into trouble or miss their curfew, you should take away some of their privileges. Eventually, they will learn that behaving sensibly and sticking to the rules is the best thing for everybody in the long run. It also shows your teen that you trust them, which is so important.
Telling your teen that they can’t go out is the worst thing you can do. You might be happy knowing that they are safe but it will cause a huge amount of tension and they will miss out on very important formative experiences. Just follow these safety tips and they will be fine.
