How do you as a parent teach teens about values and morality?

ENFORCE – Even teens want and need boundaries.  Set clear limits – be a parent not a pal!

ADVOCATE – Prove that your standards and values don’t change!  Teens need you to advocate for what’s right.

MODEL – Everything you do, and don’t do, sends a message about your values and what you believe….regardless of what you say!

December is Respect month.  Below are a few things you can do or discuss at home to reinforce what your student hears at school.

• Be polite to each other, your children, their friends, family guests, neighbors, coworkers – everyone.
• Celebrate the uniqueness of your family members and neighbors.  Discuss how you are a stronger family and neighborhood because of these different abilities and traits.
• Develop family guidelines for treating each other with courtesy.
• Have a refresher course in manners at home.  Practice at a family meal.
• Collect $1 from every family member caught rolling eyes, not listening in a conversation, “putting someone down,” gossiping or being disrespectful in other ways.  Use the money for a special family outing.
• While watching TV shows discuss the implications of disrespectful jokes or comments.
• When you see respectful role models in your home or community point them out to your family member.

Source: What’s a Parent to Do?  By Peggy Adkins for CHARACTER COUNTS!

For more information on CHARACTER COUNTS! contact SDSU Extension, Character Education Specialist, Karelyn Farrand at karelyn.farrand@sdstate.edu.