Good Discipline Means Understanding How Teenagers Think

Teenagers Are Part Child, Part Adult, and Part Alien

by Corrie Lynne Player
author of Loving Firmness: Successfully Raising Teenagers Without Losing Your Mind

You can't discipline teenagers without understanding how they think. You discipline by meeting them on their level and reasoning with them.

Teenagers are a paradox—part infant, part child, and part adult (they’re also part alien). You’ll often watch all three aspects of the adolescent personality flicker through your kids in the space of two minutes. Those of you with a teenager or two have had the same experience: Just when you’re ready to break out the strained food and teething bibs, your adolescent stops blowing bubbles in her root beer long enough to wash the living room windows and polish the fireplace screen. Then she throws her arms around you, declares, “You’re the best mom (dad) in the whole world!” and dances out of the room. A minute later she slouches back, frowning and munching on a candy bar. Crumbs of chocolate and bits of wrapper litter the carpet in her wake.