How to Establish a Curfew With Your Child
When she was little, your child wanted nothing more than to be near you, but as she nears adolescence, she may want more independence. Establishing a curfew can get her in the habit of following house rules and getting home on time when she's a teen and is even more independent. A curfew helps her develop responsibility, whether she goes to a friend's house or is just hanging around the neighborhood. Setting a curfew that works with your family's needs and your child's personality gives her some freedom while still keeping her safe.
Instructions
Check on your local and state laws regarding curfews. Some areas set citywide curfews based on a child's age. For example, in Minneapolis, the weekday curfew for kids under 12 is 9 p.m., and on Friday and Saturday, the curfew is 10 p.m. For kids 12 to 14, the weekday curfew is 10 p.m -- 11 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Teens between 15 and 17 have a curfew of 11 p.m. for weekdays and midnight for weekends. If your city has a curfew, use this as a guide for your child's curfew. Sit down with your child to review his schedule. Many kids have after-school activities -- such as sports practice, clubs or rehearsals -- that may affect curfew. Write down the end time for his commitments for each day of the week to help choose an appropriate curfew time. Review your child's typical day, considering her bedtime as a guide. She needs to get home in time to complete homework, chores and other responsibilities while still getting to bed on time. If your child goes to bed at 9 p.m., you might set her curfew at 7 p.m. or earlier, for example, so she still has at least two hours at home before bed. You might also set the curfew earlier if you want her to be home in time to eat dinner with the family. Assess your child's maturity level and ability to handle responsibility. A child who is mature for his age may have a later curfew than a child who makes poor decisions. Allowing an immature child to stay out for long periods of time gives him more opportunity to get into trouble. Set the curfew based on your assessment. The curfew may vary based on the day of the week. For example, you might give your child a later curfew on a day when she has soccer practice. Create consequences for breaking the curfew. Your child might have to come straight home from school for the next three days after breaking curfew, for example. The consequences show your child that you mean business when it comes to following the curfew guidelines. Sit down with your child to explain to her the curfew expectations. Let her know what consequences she can expect if she fails to get home in time.
