Teenagers and Independence

Jan Wilson at SOLO for Singles writes “A young teen also needs independence. Teenagers rarely need as much independence as they want, but they do need an increasing opportunity to make their own decisions, and yes, even their own mistakes. It's a fact: the less willing you are to grant some independence to your teen, the more likely he or she is to rebel and take that independence anyway.” But don't get carried away and give them full authority over their lives. Your job is not finished yet. You may not be able to pick out their clothes or monitor what their eating habits, but you can still set curfews and insist they be accountable and responsible in doing homework, chores, etc.