This is the second in a series of blogs about the benefits of parental monitoring. The first blog looked at how monitoring kids with Type 1 diabetes helps them stick to their treatment schedule.
Parental monitoring is an effective method of preventing your kids from engaging in high risk behaviors. But, this series isn’t just about parents. The relationships and communication of grandparents, aunts, uncles and caring friends with kids can have an extremely positive effect on developing youth.
So, what do we mean by “parental monitoring?”
Parental monitoring means: knowing where your child is, who they are with, what they are doing and when they will be home — at all times. No exceptions. It is also about letting your child or teenager know that you are interested, concerned and aware of their activities when they are not with you.
ABCD Parenting Young Adolescents gives excellent advice, saying that keeping track of your child through adolescence is just as important as when they were youngsters. Despite their protests, teenagers are not fully equipped to deal with the adult world. They still need their parents to provide structure, guidance and protection. Teenagers actually expect and want their parents to care about them and what they are doing. Parents show they care by being interested and involved. Generally, parents who are involved in their teenagers’ lives tend to have more trusting and open relationships with their teenagers.
Other benefits to monitoring your kids include being aware of issues and being able to take action earlier to prevent more serious problems from developing. Research shows that young people who not monitored by their parents are more likely to have behavior problems.
Discipline your son, for in that there is hope; do not be a willing party to his death. Proverbs 19:18 NIV