Here are five ways to get your tween to respect you:
Don't think of you as friends
Thinking that you and your tween are the best of friends is not going to help you parent them. While it is great that you have such a close relationship, you need to remember that you are their mum and that they need to respect you as such. People treat their friends a lot differently to their parents so make your tween is aware of your authority.
Respect them
The easiest way to teach respect is to show it yourself. For example, have the manners to answer your child when they ask you a question, you would want the same from them and respect their privacy just like you would expect them to respect yours.
Tell them when they are being disrespectful
Your son or daughter might not realise that they are being disrespectful so point it out to them when they are, but make sure you watch your tone. You need to assert your authority and ensure they know what behaviour is expected of them without you being disrespectful to them.
Address it when it happens
There is no point waiting until well after your tween has been disrespectful to pull them up on it - they will struggle to connect their behaviour with your concerns.
Be consistent
Make sure you are consistent in what you deem to be disrespectful so that your tween won’t get confused. Consistency is key when it comes to disciplining your child.
