They’ve been around for thousands of years. It’s one of man’s longest-enduring inventions.

Hi, I’m Mark Gregston … with Parenting Today’s Teens.

I’m talking about maps. Nowadays we just pull them up on our computers and smart phones. But we’d be foolish to go on a trip without consulting a map to plan out where we’re going … and how we’re gonna get there.

The same thing goes for raising kids. Right now, you have an immature child that you want to see grow into an independent adult. But how do you get them from point A to point B?

My recommendation is to map out a plan. It could look like an outline of new responsibilities you give your child for every year they grow older. But moms and dads shouldn’t set out on the journey … without plotting out the directions!

Mom, dad, draw the map.