Residential Treatment Centers Troubled Boys

Liahona Academy

1-855-587-1416
Parent Portal

Struggling With Daily Teen Asks and Wants?

teen asks and wants When your children were younger, it likely felt that there was an endless string of asks on your budget. New shoes for soccer, new ballet shoes, fundraisers at school, and so on. As your child enters his teen years, the asks may change. Your teen may be asking for money and costly items and only being friendly or cooperative when he wants something.  This type of behavior can feel manipulative, particularly when your teen acts out and gets angry if he doesn’t get his way. The result of manipulative and poor behavior can fracture your relationship with your teen. You may also feel that the only time your teen communicates with you is to ask you to open your wallet. We’ve got a few tips to help you maintain a healthy relationship with your teen and help him understand financial boundaries.

Establishing Financial Boundaries

Let your teen know what you are and are not willing to pay for. Some of the things your teen may expect you to pay for could include clothing and shoes, and food unless he wants to eat out at restaurants a lot with his friends. You certainly expect him to spend time with his friends but it can become incredibly expensive if you’re footing the bill for restaurant meals every week. Many teens are drawn to pricey high-end brand names for their clothing, shoes, and accessories. Make it clear to your teen that you aren’t willing to spend a small fortune on some items he wants just because of the name associated with them. Establishing financial boundaries can help your teen better understand what he can expect when he asks for more money.

Talk About Finances With Your Teen

While you certainly don’t want to put your financial stress on your teen’s shoulders, there is value in having an open and honest conversation with your teen. Let him know what is and isn’t realistic when it comes to just forking over money to buy him the things that he wants. Your teen may not fully understand your financial struggles but with an age-appropriate explanation, he may back down from demanding more money from you for frivolous expenses.

Teen Allowance

Does your teen already get an allowance? If he does and it’s not enough to meet his wants, this might be time to evaluate why he doesn’t think it is enough. What is he using his allowance for? If it’s for meals at school or while out with friends, perhaps this is something you can cover for him so that he has something left over to meet his other financial wants.  If your teen is spending his allowance on games, gaming currency, or other things that are not essentials, then it could be a different conversation. If it’s been some time since he’s seen a bump in his allowance, then that might be worth considering. There may also be opportunities for your teen to earn extra money by doing more chores around the house. He may be reluctant to do more about 

Teaching Teens About Budgeting

Just as you need to stick to your budget, so does your teen. Many teens simply never learn about budgeting until they are forced to once they live independently. Sit down with your teen to evaluate what he thinks are his essential spending needs and then compare them to the money that he has. Whether that money is sourced from his allowance or a job. If there simply isn’t enough money to address his financial wants, then he needs to understand that sometimes you need to do without or find another source of income.

Considering a Job For a Teen

Is your teen old enough to get a job? If he is, and it will fit into his schedule, then it may be the right time for him to consider filling out a few applications. Many grocery stores, retailers, and food services hire teens. The work isn’t always the most glamorous work he can find, but it will always be a good learning experience for a teenager. This is an excellent opportunity to teach him about the job application process, from creating a resume to filling out applications and then also understanding what each of the deductions on his paycheck means. It’s never too soon for a teen to learn the basics of being gainfully employed. If you’re struggling with a teen who is demanding, aggressive, and displaying other behaviors that are disruptive to your family, it may be time to consider options like therapeutic boarding schools. At Liahona Academy, we focus on treating the individual with treatment plans and focused education that can help him get his life back on the right track.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Other topics you might be interested in reading

  • Teenager Sleeps All Day and Doesn't Care About Anything

    If your teen is like other teens, you might marvel at their remarkable capacity for extended periods of sleep. At the same time, you might also wonder how much sleep is too mu Read the full article

  • Teen Son Has Become Violent, What Can I Do?

    As parents, we frequently picture a future with our kids full of love, joy, and priceless memories. But when an adolescent exhibits aggressive conduct, that dream can soon com Read the full article

  • Teen Sluffing School and Kicked Out of the Home, Now What?

    For a lot of teenagers, school can be a difficult place, causing negative behaviors to increase. These behaviors can result from a variety of factors, such as not understandin Read the full article

  • Addressing the Root of the Problem With Disrespectful Teens

    As parents, it’s normal to look at our children and think about how they’ve changed throughout the years—both positively and sometimes negatively. This is never more evi Read the full article

Give us a call,
We want to Help Your Son
1-855-587-1416 Contact Us Today
MENU