Dealing with Teen Laziness
Laziness is a part of life for most teenagers, sometimes affecting even the most responsible and driven of the bunch. When the high school years roll around, teens begin facing an increase in responsibilities, including more homework, first-time jobs, extracurricular activities and even dating. On top of all of this, teens are dealing with hormonal shifts that can leave them feeling tired and irritable. If you want to help your teens stay on top of things, you’ll need to engineer their daily lives toward productivity.
1. Teach Accountability From a Young Age
Giving your children chores and offering a reasonable reward for the completion of those chores is a great idea, and if you do this from a young age, it can help your teen grow up to feel accountable for his or her actions. This often works better than simply providing an allowance because it puts the burden of responsibility in the child’s hands. If the chores aren’t completed, he or she won’t earn the money. This encourages the development of a strong work ethic.
2. Set Limits on Television, Video Games and Computer Time
It’s not hard to zone out and waste hours in front of the television, which is why parents need to set limits for teens. All kids deserve some down time, but don’t let your teen waste an entire weekend on the couch. Instead, encourage activities that will get him or her outside in the sunshine. Even a few hours of fresh air will do a lot of good.
3. Work on a Schedule
Help your teen design a schedule that will help him or her find the balance between study time, work time, leisure time and rest time. These things don’t always fall into place on their own, and unless you help guide your teen, he or she might end up always behind on school work, constantly tired and feeling like there is never any time for fun. It doesn’t necessarily have to be strict, but designating a certain time of day for each important activity will make things a lot easier.
Consistency is crucial for combating laziness, and it’s also a skill your teen will need to do well in a career later in life. Be consistent with your schedule and always try to remain in communication with your teen about how things are going. If he or she seems overwhelmed, sit down and talk about it. Finding balance and energy for life is an ongoing process, but as long as you keep working on it, your teen will be sure to do well.
