Distinguishing Lies from the Truth
When faced with that sweet smiling face of your adolescent, it may be hard to distinguish lies from the truth. And be wary parents, teens know this! They may try buttering you up to keep you off their backs. And it definitely may not be easy to see through teenage charm. Concealment is considered a sign of a troubled teenager because it goes hand in hand with whatever problems your teen is really faced with. Of course, for most teens, opening up to their parents directly can seem almost as unbearable as the issue itself. But if you want to pave the way of honesty between you and your teen, then the type of “traditional” discipline wherein parents may use fear to rule the household shouldn’t be an option. This kind of discipline actually fosters the practice of concealment in your teenager. It may be difficult not to use this manner of discipline with a defiant teen but when you are tempted to do so, ask yourself– If my teen is in trouble, would I rather know at a time when I can still help him, or find out later on when it may be too late?
Finding the Golden Mean of Discipline and Openness
Some parents may think that not using a military approach to managing the household, may appear like they are letting their teens do whatever they want. There is a give and take here. Maybe your teen will feel less constrained and his actions may reflect this, but he will also naturally be more open to you at the same time. The one-word replies to questions are often the answers that parents using a strict technique receive. Your child will naturally feel less scared of saying things about how he may be really feeling and what he’s up to if he can actually picture you listening to all he has to say without immediately rushing to deal out punishment. In a way, a teenager may feel that he has to censor a lot of things he may want to talk to you about if predominant fear runs the household.
Ignorance isn’t Bliss
But remember, just because you don’t hear it from your teen, doesn’t mean it’s not happening. Some parents are in denial, and would actually rather not know what’s going on with their teen if it’s something negative. This is hardly beneficial for either party. They may say ignorance is bliss, but not if you want the best for your child as a loving parent.
