Whether children are toddlers or teens, parenting is complex and challenging. As children approach adolescence they become more verbal and may take risks. The stakes are higher than at any other developmental stage.

The teen years are a time of trying new roles and testing limits. There are three phases of adolescence including preadolescence (ages 9 to 13), middle adolescence (ages 14 to 16) and late adolescence (ages 17 to 20). Keep the age of the teen in mind when establishing age-appropriate boundaries. Boundaries are the framework that help teens understand how to navigate the world. Boundaries provide a safe environment for exploration.

As a parent, it is your responsibility to set, and consistently enforce, limits. Rules and limits should be clear, reasonable, age appropriate and should evolve as the child moves through each stage of development. Boundaries give the teenager information they can use in making decisions.

Communication and consistency are the hallmarks of effective limits. Research points out that teens are more accountable when we monitor where they are, who they are with, when they will be home, and how they will get there and back again. Make sure all family members understand that monitoring is an important right and responsibility of the parents. If you are a parent, begin monitoring children early in ways that are age appropriate so that children will accept this as a part of life. For more information about parenting your teen visit www.ces.ncsu.edu/depts/fcs/humandev/pubs/parteens.html.