Ten Decisive Steps to
Motivating your Delinquent Teen to Action
Author: Briony Irving
STEP ONE
THE PUSH START
Everyone needs or deserve a push start.
You got it when you entered college or university and if you
never got it, then blaze a new trail and give your kid the push start
they need in life. There are
a number of ways to do this and you can use all or just one of the ideas
listed below.
PUSH START #1
·
Pay them to take an
evening class and pass with credit or distinction or to enroll in
college or university.
·
Pay them to learn a
new language or a musical instrument.
·
Pay them to get A’s
or B’s for a month, and when they get it, increase the reward until
getting A's and B's become a habit.
·
Pay them to study,
then quiz them about what they’ve studied so you know that they didn’t
cheat.
·
Pay for them to
read at least 2 books per weak and ask them to explain what they’ve read
so you know they didn’t cheat.
·
Pay them to
participate in an extracurricular activity or to volunteer in a
community organization – this usually gives them purpose in life and
often straightens them out.
PUSH START # 2
·
Negotiate with to
have an extra hour out at weekends if it is safe to do so (in exchange
for whatever you want them to accomplish).
·
Negotiate with them
privileges to have a television in their room, having friends over or
visiting a friend’s home, keeping a party at their house in exchange to
accomplishing a task that you set.
·
Promise and fulfill
a family vacation if they accomplish a task that you set for them.
·
Give them the
birthday party they’ve always wanted or the gift they’ve always wanted
in exchange for accomplishing a task or goal.