Natural Consequences for Teen Door Slamming

Though your teen may sometimes look and act like an adult, his brain is still developing, and this immaturity can lead to acting out in anger. Door slamming is a normal behavior among teens, according to Sentier Psychotherapy in St. Paul, Minnesota 3. While normal, it's also frustrating for parents. If your teen is slamming the door on a regular basis, it's time to start thinking of natural consequences for this behavior.

Removing the Door

If your teen isn't responsible enough to close the door properly, perhaps she's not responsible enough to have a door. You can easily remove the door to your teen's room and store it in the garage or attic until you start to see better behavior. Since this action severely limits the amount of privacy she has, she's likely to shape up quickly. Once she's earned the door back, continue to monitor her behavior and don't hesitate to remove the door again.

Silencing the Door

The loud sound is the satisfying part of slamming a door, but if the door won't make a boom, he'll be less likely to slam it. Purchase and install "door slam stoppers" on the door. These are typically a safety device for young children to prevent them from accidentally slamming the doors on their fingers, but since they prevent the slamming, they can work with teens. As with removing the door, this reduces the amount of privacy your teen has, since he won't be able to completely shut the door, so he may be more motivated to curb his anger.

Properly Closing the Door

Forcing your child to come back out of her room and close the door properly may seem like a natural consequence and it may work in some cases, but it may also serve only to further anger your child. According to Sentier Psychotherapy, teen door slamming is a sign that your child needs a time out for herself and the best way to handle it is after the fact, not in the heat of the moment 3.

Paying for Damages

In some cases, door slamming may damage property. The door can break or things might fall down and break from the resulting vibrations. If this has happened, you can require your teen pay for the damages himself. If he doesn't have a job, take the money from his allowance or have him work extra chores in exchange.