How to Keep Kids From Sneaking Out

Stress Safety

• Make your child understand that sneaking out just isn't safe. Even though you must present the rules in a firm way, show her that you care. Explain that sneaking out is dangerous. While you don't want to scare your child away from stepping out the front door, discussing safety issues is an essential part of curtailing her desire to sneak out. For example, ask her what would happen if she's walking around town at 2 a.m. and a strange man tries to force her into his car. You can also talk about the dangers associated with activities that she might sneak out to do. These may include drinking alcohol or meeting a boyfriend in an unsupervised environment.

Set Rules

• It's obvious that "you can't sneak out" is a rule. If it wasn't already an expectation, you wouldn't need to call it "sneaking" out. Still, you must set rules about when and where your child can go. Doing so clarifies that he can't simply come and go as he pleases. For example, if you decide that your teen has a 10 p.m. curfew, explain that the curfew includes staying home once he's there -- that he can't come home at 9:45 and then walk out the back door at 10:30 or later when you're asleep. Prepare yourself to enforce the consequences. Taking away privileges is a common consequence that parents use with teens, according to the website KidsHealth. If you tell your child that he can't go out with his friends for a month if he sneaks out, you should stick it and ground him for the full 30 days.

Secure Your Home

• Home security systems aren't just for keeping intruders out. You can also use a monitor to keep your child in. Flick on the alarm before you go to bed. If your child tries to open the door or a window, it will sound. For this technique to work effectively, your child can't know the security code to turn off the alarm. If she does, install a bell or chime that rings every time a door is opened.

Take It Away

• Taking away essentials such as shoes may seem extreme, but this tactic can make the difference between a kid sneaking out and staying home. If you've set rules, handed out consequences and even grounded your child a few times only to see her sneak out time and time again, you may need to become more creative. When the typical tactics fail, make it as close to impossible to sneak out as you can. For example, put your child's shoes in your bedroom closet. She's less likely to leave home without shoes. You can also keep her beauty or grooming products in your room. She may think twice about going out with bed-head or sporting a not-so-sweet smell.