Parents naturally step up to help to take care of their children but how far is too far? By doing everything for your teen, it’s highly possible that she will grow up with a weak work ethic and no real sense of responsibility. Read on to discover eight things you need to stop doing for your teen ASAP.
Waking Her Up for School
It’s officially time to stop waking your teen up for school. She should have her own alarm clock set the night before to get up early enough to get ready just like you do. If she sleeps through the alarm, she needs to know the repercussions of hitting the snooze button (missing breakfast, finding another ride, etc.). Soon, she will be on her own at college or working and will need to have enough discipline to get up on her own. The ultimate goal of parenting is to raise functioning adults able to take care of themselves and that starts with waking up on time.
Making Her Breakfast or Lunch
At this point, your teen should be making her own breakfast and lunch for school. It’s a nice gesture to make her favorite meals each day, but that doesn’t teach her to cook on her own and pack her own food. Even pouring her own bowl of cereal is something at least. She cannot get used to the fact that her mom will always be around to make her meals. Your job is to make sure she has the food she needs to have a healthy breakfast and to pack a decent lunch. You can make mention of some items that would be great to eat, but it should be up to her to make her meals.