Getting Grounded.......or NOT!

Inspiration for this blog comes from many sources and when many sources say the same info, then I may write about it. Between the newspaper, several magazines, some kids in my life complaining, complaining, complaining, real life observations, reliving my HS days as we get ready for our reunion this year (yeah 35 yrs!)... geez what a great topic.

If you search on "getting grounded" you may be pleasantly surprised that you will not come up with the all-time child / parent struggle. There are links to spirituality, gardening, recipies, airports, architecture, and you can even get to Elvis!

So back to the the child - rather the teenager - parent struggle. It can be a struggle for both or NOT. Where does it stem from? It's the growing process for the teen from being a toddler to becoming an adult. This middle ground is the teenage years. For the parents, it's learning this little bundle of joy you brought home is now growing up. I don't really remember being grounded, or maybe I blocked out those memories? My parents and brothers may say different. I do remember having to "go think about it" many, many times. Not to bottom line it, (but I'm a bottom line kinda girl) it is about respect and communication. NOT being grounded is about repect for yourself and for others.

The onerous list of rules and chores; clean your room; you are not wearing that; no you can't go over Sally's house when her folks are not home; get good grades; if you want that - then do extra chores, sell the lemonaide, cut the neighbors lawn, babysit - in other words - Earn it. What are these rules and chores? They are the tools a teen needs to go on to adulthood. Each of them above can be changed into an adult setting. NOT one of them alone will make you the successful adult, yet all the tools in "your box" will give you what you need to become the successful adult.

I read this article where 16 teenages (or once teenagers) wrote about Getting Grounded OR NOT. It is true - Respect for yourself and for others, and communication between you and yourself, and others is truly how NOT to get grounded. When you stop wasting time being grounded.... then you can welcome in lots of opportunities life is waiting to give to you. I don't have all the answers - I was well groomed as a teen, given and took the tools my folks had to offer (begrudingly at times) and made my way on my life's journey - successful and happy.

It is your choice! So choose wisely, the rewards are unlimited!