e, people will call you a liar, and even if you tell them the truth, they won't believe you." When your predictions come true, your out-of-control teen will begin to trust your judgment.

--Parents can use natural consequences-- Do not shield your teen from the results of her choices

I think my biggest problem was that I did not change the things that were not working. I kept using the same parenting strategies and hoped for different results. This turned out to be almost as big a problem as not trying to fix problems in the first place.

For example, I thought that threatening to do this or that was an effective form of discipline -- but since I had to use it each day to correct the same problem, it should have been obvious that it was not a good strategy. I have more tools in my parenting toolbox now, most of which work fairly well – and now I want to share them with you:

--Parents can ignore behavior when possible-- Ignore behavior that will not harm your teen (e.g., bad habits, bad language, arguing with a sibling). It's hard to do nothing, but this lack of attention takes away the very audience your teen is seeking.

--Parents can use prediction-- Tell your teen your predictions regarding the negative outcomes of his/her poor choices (use labels when needed). For example: “If you continue to steal, people will call you a thief, and when things come up missing, they will blame you.” "If you continue to lie, people will call you a liar, and even if you tell them the truth, they won't believe you." When your predictions come true, your out-of-control teen will begin to trust your judgment.

--Parents can use natural consequences-- Do not shield your teen from the results of her choices u

t threatening to do this or that was an effective form of discipline -- but since I had to use it each day to correct the same problem, it should have been obvious that it was not a good strategy. I have more tools in my parenting toolbox now, most of which work fairly well – and now I want to share them with you:

--Parents can ignore behavior when possible-- Ignore behavior that will not harm your teen (e.g., bad habits, bad language, arguing with a sibling). It's hard to do nothing, but this lack of attention takes away the very audience your teen is seeking.

--Parents can use prediction-- Tell your teen your predictions regarding the negative outcomes of his/her poor choices (use labels when needed). For example: “If you continue to steal, people will call you a thief, and when things come up missing, they will blame you.” "If you continue to lie, people will call you a liar, and even if you tell them the truth, they won't believe you." When your predictions come true, your out-of-control teen will begin to trust your judgment.

--Parents can use natural consequences-- Do not shield your teen from the results of her choices

to share them with you:

--Parents can ignore behavior when possible-- Ignore behavior that will not harm your teen (e.g., bad habits, bad language, arguing with a sibling). It's hard to do nothing, but this lack of attention takes away the very audience your teen is seeking.

--Parents can use prediction-- Tell your teen your predictions regarding the negative outcomes of his/her poor choices (use labels when needed). For example: “If you continue to steal, people will call you a thief, and when things come up missing, they will blame you.” "If you continue to lie, people will call you a liar, and even if you tell them the truth, they won't believe you." When your predictions come true, your out-of-control teen will begin to trust your judgment.

--Parents can use natural consequences-- Do not shield your teen from the results of her choices

arents can use prediction-- Tell your teen your predictions regarding the negative outcomes of his/her poor choices (use labels when needed). For example: “If you continue to steal, people will call you a thief, and when things come up missing, they will blame you.” "If you continue to lie, people will call you a liar, and even if you tell them the truth, they won't believe you." When your predictions come true, your out-of-control teen will begin to trust your judgment.

--Parents can use natural consequences-- Do not shield your teen from the results of her choices

e, people will call you a liar, and even if you tell them the truth, they won't believe you." When your predictions come true, your out-of-control teen will begin to trust your judgment.

--Parents can use natural consequences-- Do not shield your teen from the results of her choices unless it puts her in danger. For example:

· Child doesn’t go to bed on time >>> she gets up and goes to school anyway even though she’s tired and sleepy

· Child doesn’t study for her math test >>> she fails

· Child doesn’t maintain his car >>> it falls apart and he rides his bike thereafter

--Parents can use not-so-natural consequences-- Consequences can be by parental design. For example:

· Child parks his car in the street rather than in the driveway risking having it towed >>> after forewarning is ignored, parent parks the car in the driveway, and the child must pay a towing fee to get his keys back

· Child leaves her toiletries in disarray throughout the bathroom each school morning >>> after forewarning is ignored, parent confiscates all items for a period of time (technique works with clothes and toys as well)

--Parents can rearrange space-- Try creative solutions. For example:

· If school notes and homework are misplaced, assign a special table or counter for materials

· If chores are forgotten, post a chart with who does what when

--Parents can use grandma's rule: When/Then-- Ti