More then "One Way"

Yep, you warned them. You pointed to the sign and still they made a wrong turn. Now, panic, confusion and hopefully revelation grips them they same way they are gripping the steering wheel. The signs were there, larger than life. “One Way” with a big fat arrow. No mistake, just a touch of arrogance and carelessness that landed your teen in this predicament.

What now? How do you fix this for them – have your child turn around and go back the right way? People stop and stare with a blend of judgment, pity and recognition on their faces – they’ve seen others do the same. They know how your kid got there and with a glance of “I told you so” they watch to see what you will do.

Relationships have rules just like driving. Our teens can ignore the rules with confidence and ignorance because they know a faster, easier or better way to get where they think they want to go only to find themselves facing the masses heading in the other direction. What makes teens think they can break the rules and not end up in a predicament?

Teens want to be creative, different and not follow the traffic of boring people that obey the signs. They do not remember they will have to pay the consequences. Sure, a few of them might get away with it a time or two when no one else is around but eventually, they will end up in a jam. There are rules of the road. What can we do to make sure our students are not going the wrong way down a clearly marked one-way street? Pay attention and don’t grab the wheel. Prevention is far less dramatic than a head-on collision. Help them to be boring.

Thoughts?
Lisa j