Monitoring the happiness, behavior and safety of your child
is a balance of allowing her to be independent so that she can become a healthy
adult, but do not give her more freedom than she’s able to control. There’re
many ways to monitor your child sophisticatedly and respect her own privacy but
not make her keep away from you as you’re too arbitrary. You need to let her
know that you’re monitoring her and concern about her interests without making
impression that you don’t trust her or respect her own space.
You need to let
her know that you’re monitoring her and concern about her interests without
making impression that you don’t trust her or respect her own space.
Instruction
·
Supervise the cell phone use of your child if possible by
checking the monthly bill. Cell phone is a good way to communicate with your
teenage girl when she’s out, but you will want to make sure that she doesn’t
use the phone for unsuitable moments, such as late at night. In such case, you
can keep her phone at night when she gets home.
·
Monitor the internet use of your teenager girl to see if she’s
accessing pages having unsuitable contents or login to the social network
websites when she’s supposed to do homework. You can check the history of the
visited pages, even apply parental control or a timer on the internet if you
worry that your child is spending much time online. Or, keep the computer at
public areas in your house so that you can keep track of the computer use of
your child.
Monitor the
internet use of your teenager girl to see if she’s accessing pages having
unsuitable contents or login to the social network websites when she’s supposed
to do homework.
·
Limit her time for watching TV and the types of show that she
needs to watch to avoid watching programs containing bad language or
inappropriate sexual content. Cable provider can lock these channels, and
instead of putting the TV in your child’s bedroom, you can encourage her to
watch TV with other members in the family.
·
Keep in touch with the teacher of your girl at school so that you
can keep track of her studying. You should know the name of the teachers and
their contact info so that you can speak out what makes you worry to them.
Participate in the parent-teacher events and try to introduce yourself to the
school managing board. The teachers will be happy to have your support and
attention and will let you know how your child is doing in her study.
·
Know her friends and friend’s parents so that you can keep track
of what and who she is using her free time for. If your child visits a friend’s
house for dinner, introduce yourself to the parents of that friend by meeting
face to face or through the phone. This will help you build a support network
of parents which you can count on when you don’t know where your child is or
you worry about her health. You can also encourage her to invite friends home
for dinner movie. You will know her friends as well as where they are and what
they’re going to do. When your child goes out with her friends, set the curfew
time to make sure that she gets home on time
Know her friends
and friend’s parents so that you can keep track of what and who she is using
her free time for.
Advice and warnings
·
Explain to teen all the reasons why you need her activities to
keep her from thinking that you’re just examining things and don’t trust her.
·
When your child has reach maturity, the monitor should be changed
to be suitable. This is what you should negotiate and discuss together with
your child.
