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The best way to help your teen learn to make good decisions is by changing your approach.

Teens who contribute to a decision are more likely to stick to it. Act like a coach as your child learns to make some decisions on his own. Here are some tips:

• Talk to your teen about the problem. Be sure she knows what it is that she must decide.

• If necessary, ask him to get more information—from books or other adults.

• Ask her to list her choices and what she thinks the consequences of each will be.

• Let him figure out how he feels about each choice and which one he’d be most comfortable with.

• When she reaches a good decision, reward her with praise.

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