Parenting Pointer:
Parenting plans for teenagers might look different than parenting plans for younger children. Teenagers need a base of support and guidance with both parents involved in their life. Plans should be flexible to allow for activities that will conflict with parenting time.
Teenagers prefer to spend time with friends and peers instead of family. They will explore different activities and relationships outside of the family. Parenting plans should allow flexibility to include activities, jobs, friends, and sports as they get older. Teenagers may seek independence and control over their own schedules. Communication is essential for teens as not to cause resentment if parents ignore their wishes.
Some things to make your parenting plan more effective:
Communicate with each other about the teenagers’ curfew, driving, and dating to ensure consistency.
Discuss future goals about education, work, and post-high school plans.
To stay involved in a teenager’s life, parents should attend athletics, performance, and academics
Consider the teen’s schedule, commitments, the distance between the parents’ homes, the parents' work schedules and your teen’s need for unstructured time.
Your teenager might want to live primarily in one home (a home base) with scheduled time throughout the week for the teen to see the other parent.
As your teenager gets older you may need to change your schedule to fit their busy schedule.
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