why do you treat your children differently then teenagers?

Answer 1

Who says I do? Sometimes my teenagers act more like 5 and 6 year olds than a 5 or 6 year old does. Seriously though, as the mom of 3 teens and one pre-teen, by their teenage years they want to do more so they had better start acting like they can handle the responsibility and being more mature. My line to my kids has always been : I'M NOT RAISING KIDS, I'M TRYING TO RAISE ADULTS. That may sound stupid to some people, but the point is I am trying to prepare them for the cruel world and if I sugar coat it and treat them like babies, they'll act like babies and get nowhere in the world. Better I give them the knowledge and the ability to face the real world than have them being taken advantage of. You want a privelge, you want respect, you have to earn it.

Answer 2

Because young children are different than teenagers. Just the other day there was someone who posted a question about spanking their 15 yr. old. That kind of punishment is not suitable for a teenager, however grounding is. For a young child if they are grounded well its not much different than what they would normally do anyways, just sitting at home, so its not a very effective punishment. Different children of different ages including teenagers respond to different actions and thus need to be treated in different ways.

Answer 3

A parents job is to teach their children from the time they are born. During the stages of their lives the teachings should match the child's growth. Teenagers are usually treated differently because of their age. Hormones and many other things change during these years and as parents we must be aware of this and treat this stage accordingly. Teenagers are almost adults and we as parents start to see behaviors that will not work for their adult lives and start trying to correct them so that our children will have the best that life can offer. I hope this will help you and I would be glad to talk with you more if you want to e-mail me.

Answer 4

Because children are at a different point and maturity level in life teens are becoming young adults and need to find out their own path in life. In fact teens also include adults legally at 18 & 19. There is a difference though at 13-15, 16, 17-19 and at each stage you have to let go more. Parents are no longer raising children after 13 but young adults and you want independent, well informed capable adults in the world. 17-19 yr old men and women are also serving in our armed forces at home and overseas and deserve alls respect, they are dying in war they also have to make spilt second life or death decisions and have done so admirably so any theory their brains are not capable is proven wrong every day in the US armed forces!!!!

Answer 5

If you mean, why do you treat children under the age of 13 differently than you treat children over the age of 13 rather than, why do adults treat children differently than teenagers treat children, which is what I think you are asking, then, my opinion is: I believe you expect teenagers to behave more like adults after years of correcting their behavior while raising them, or even expecting them to know more by their natural inclination of looking more like adults.You expect them to be able to use their reasoning abilities in the same way many adults are able to do, when in fact their brains have not matured. A brain is considered "mature" around 25 years or so (in weight or volume), however, it continues to grow and learn through plasticity, or the connecting of neurons. The corpus callosum, the billions of fibers connecting the two hemispheres, continues to grow into the fourth decade. The brain's stem cells are continually produced, and activated through activity, either physical or mental. If your teen is not involved in either, his or her brain is not growing and maturing. Add in the raging (and I mean RAGING) hormones that are coursing through their veins, the constant pushing and pulling to and from dependance to independance to arrive at their own identity (much like a three year-old's) and you have a teenager. The only scary thing is, the teen realizes they are playing for REAL. They are on the cliff of life, and realize life is a lot more precarious than once thought. They are challenging ideas, and that means anyone or thing in authority, most usually their parents. This can have dire consequences, and requires parents to have a clear head and unfortunately remember that this is not the time to be your child's BEST friend. It is at this time, a teen learns probably the most important lessons of life. Parental encouragement, discipline, and respect for authority is what they need to learn well, and they need to learn now (although you feel you have taught them this already, they are still questioning, "why?). Don't let them have power over you to make you angry. You re still in control, usually by financial means. If not by that, certainly by emotional ties. You may not see it, but, they need you now more than ever before. They now just have an arsenal of hurtful words that seem to be coming from an adult's mouth. Swallow, and try not to let it get to you, but remind them you love them, and it is disrespectful and hurtful. Mothers, remind them not to talk to your husband that way, and fathers, remind them not to talk to your wife that way. Get my gist? Exert who you are in this world.

Good luck. I don't have teens yet, but, I am almost there. God Bless you on your road ahead. :)

Answer 6

Teenagers are supposed to be growing up. They should be allowed more freedom to be who they want to be and to try and execute their decision making skills.
Young children don't have decisive skills like this because they are much to small. They need their parents guidance at all times. To help them become good teenagers.

Answer 7

Teenagers should know better than to act like a child.

Answer 8

Children are being taught how to be people, teenagers are practicing that knowledge and continuing that education under your guidance.

Its different.

Answer 9

Wow is this ever a stupid question.

Answer 10

because there more responsible