HowtoHelpaTeenagerMakeGoodDecisionsHabituallypoordecisionmakingisactuallycommoninteenagers.Naturallysuchahabitmakesparent-teencooperationdifficultespeciallywhenaparentwantshisteentodowhata"

　　HowtoHelpaTeenagerMakeGoodDecisions

　　Habituallypoordecisionmakingisactuallycommoninteenagers.Naturallysucha

　　habitmakesparent-teencooperationdifficultespeciallywhenaparentwantshisteento

　　dowhata"responsibleadolescent"woulddo.Apoordecision-makingteenagercannever

　　runawayfromhisresponsibilities. 36

　　● Distinguishrealproblemsfromactsofpure"teenagerism".Teensoftenmakepoor

　　decisionssimplybecausetheydon-thavetheexperiences.Bymakingsmallandharmless

　　mistakeslikearecently-developedhabitofcarelessconsuming ateenlearnsgood

　　decision-makingskillsonhisownviaself-correction.__37 Don'tthinktheteenismaking

　　baddecisionsjusttochallengeyou. It'smorelikelyitisoutofarealinabilitytodetermine

　　what'sbestforhim.

　　● 38 Tellyourteenyouunderstandhisdecisionswhilesimplyemphasizingthatyou

　　don'thavetoagreewithhisdecisionsortreathisviewsasvalid.Bynotjudginghis

　　opinionstastesorstyleyouareopeningtheroadforbettercommunicationandproblem

　　solvingopportunities.

　　- Setclearexpectations. 39 Forexampleifyourteenrefusestostudyforhismath

　　finalbecause"mathispointless"explainthatyouexpecthimtoperformwellinschool

　　eveninthe"pointless"classes. Becauseyou'vealreadytoleratedhisopinionwithouttrying

　　tochangehisviewpointyoutwocaneasilyagreethatmathisn'tsousefulyetavoid

　　saying"Let'sjustgiveuponmaththen.””

　　● Findamiddleground.Tradeinsignificantfreedomssuchasclothingstyleforthe

　　promisethathe'llliveuptoacademicandfamilyresponsibilities._40_ Notonlydoesgiving

　　upabitofcontrolsolvemanyconflictsbuttheextrafreedomyougivehimcanalso

　　improvehisdecision-making.

　　A. Showtolerance.

　　B. Learntosolveproblems.

　　C. Pointoutyourexpectationsandhisresponsibilities.

　　D. Ifyourteencouldrealizeitallowhimtobehimself.

　　E. Aresponsibleadolescentmusthaverolemod