how do you deal with lazy teenagers?

Question

I am a single parent with 3 teenagers age 20,19 and 18 and i can not get them to get a job or continue there education ( all hs grads ) what should i do ..

Answer 1

Tell them to start contributing or get out of the house..

Answer 2

I read a book that is more common sense than anything. You can look up the web site below. Even though the book is for teens, your kids are acting like teenagers. In essense what it says, and what I think you should do, is stop enabling them. My 16 year old didn't want a job, but she wanted the car and the gas. I'm a single parent that barely gets by and in order for her to get a car, she had to pay gas and insurance. Once she tasted the sweetness of a pay check, she became a working class whore. She now has 2 jobs and is graduating a year early and plans on a full college load.

Cut them off. They are also all old enough to leave home, so if you have to say, here are the conditions of you living in my home... work X amount of hours/week AND take X amount of hours class/week.

Answer 3

Tell them to get a job and pay rent if they are not going to do anything else. Or maybe encourage them to go to college or join the military by picking up brochures, magazines, and anything else that would be motivating to them. My mom is a single parent too, and I am 17 and an early High School graduate, I am in my first semester of college and I am helping her pay rent because I know it is difficult financially for a single parent, I would think your children would realize that too. : ) While I am still at home I will always help her pay rent or anything else, but, after I go to boot camp in May I will no longer pay. Tell them all it is just time to move on! : )

Answer 4

Set the rules and tell them:
Rule 1- From now on you do not not feed 3 adult men. If they get hungry enough, get themselves a job.
Rule 2- You do not loan your car or give rides to anyone who does not have a job.
Rule 3- You are not running a free hotel and will not allow anyone without a job to treat your home like one.
Rule 4- No one lives off of you for free, especially someone that has no job.
Rule 5- Get out! You do not support men that are capable of working longer and harder hours than you do.

Answer 5

hmmm... i'm a lazy teen by technique of mom's criteria... i spend 10 hours an afternoon doing college artwork, I have a component time pastime and that i prepare martial arts 4 hours an afternoon, leaving little time for chores

Answer 6

Don't buy groceries for the house, don't wash their clothes, don't buy them anything, don't clean their rooms, don't do ANYTHING for them... And just tell them that from now on if they want something they will have to work for it, even food... And you will want to give into them so bad but stand your ground until they start to follow your rules afterall it is YOUR home and if they want to stay there it is about time they did their share they are not little kids anymore that need to be taken care of... It's called tough LOVE mama

Answer 7

they're above 18 so not really teen-agers but young adults. You've got to tell them straight and sincerely that you need their help, if you tell them they are lazy and relentlessly bug them, they will not cooperate. Involve them in your daily decisions and give them responsibilties so they would know how it feels like to run the house. Eventually, they will become your partners. A lot better than sending them away.

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Answer 8

give them 6 mos to find a job and pay rent or enroll in college or they need to leave.

Sounds harsh but they need to learn to be self sufficient and it doesn't' sound like they picked up that characteristic along the way.

Answer 9

They are all adults- how can they live without a job? If they live with you, kick them out

Answer 10

Move out yourself. Leave them the house and let them fend for themselves for awhile!