Successfully completing a troubled teen program is not the end of the journey towards recovery and maturity. A teen who has worked so hard to fight off the demons that hound him may be easy prey during a moment of weakness. When there is addiction involved, the probability of going back to previous bad habits is all too high. As parents, we need to be on the alert to ensure that our teen has the necessary support and safeguards to...
Landmines! One misstep and… boom! This may very well be what it feels like when talking to an angry, rebellious and moody teenager. When there are all kinds of indications that your teen is into some kind of trouble (i.e. drugs, gangs, criminal acts, etc.), how do you talk to your teen without starting a word war? How do you start connecting to your teen so that you know how to go about getting help for him? You can start...
It comes as a shock – your child has a substance abuse problem. And the hurt and disbelief sets in, when you realize you did not have any inkling, even when you thought you and your teen had a close relationship. Why didn’t your child come to you for help? Why did you not see the signs? The best place to start is to start understanding what led your teen into this path and why they don’t see the harm...
Dealing with an angry, rebellious teen can sometimes leave you feeling hopeless and desperate. However, it can be helpful to recognize that your intervention has stages. If you are able to help your teen at the first stages, then you need not explore more drastic, stringent measures. Here are some of the levels of intervention that parents of troubled teens can explore: - Heart to heart talk. It is normal for a teen to try to test the boundaries of...
Self-harm, or self-injury, is alarmingly an increasing trend among teenagers. There are an estimated 20% of teenagers who have, at one point, tried or are continuing to inflict physical harm using fire, knives, razorblades, scissors or even safety pins and paper clips. What’s more, teens are becoming more creative in how they self-injure – biting, hitting, biting, burning, scratching or pulling their hair. Why do teens cut? Teens cut for a variety of reasons. It can be a way for...
Does your home feel like a militarized zone, where all the parties are shooting at each other? Is there chaos caused by a teen’s disregard for rules and for the feelings of others? Are there problems with regards to discipline and keeping the rules? Or is there a problem stemming from the lack of rules? If so, take a deep breath… You will need to put your foot down and establish the rules your teen needs to follow while he...
It came as a complete shock – your child has run away. Running away may be an “easy way out” at the onset, but teens do not realize the dangers he is exposing himself to when he runs away from home. Runaways expose themselves to prostitution, homelessness, substance abuse, illnesses, sexually-transmitted diseases and physical abuse. Running away may seem attractive and adventurous to a teenager who is overwhelmed with pressure and stress at home, at school and from peers and...
Sometimes temper goes in the way. And often, it’s your temper that is the problem and not your teen’s. When your teen does something that arouses the anger in you, remember that the anger will undermine your relationship and your subsequent discipline of your teen. Correction, not Punishment It seems that a teenager has that amazing knack of knowing which buttons to push – particularly one that guarantees you blowing off your top. At the height of your annoyance or...
The teenage years are tumultuous times. Many a parent have despaired that their once sweet and loving child has transformed into a broody and even rebellious teenager. But how bad should bad behavior be before you consider more stringent measures? Can you manage your teen’s behavior or is it time to send him to a teen wilderness program? Here are some questions you need to ask to help you decide whether a teen boarding school is a timely intervention: Does...
Does your teen need more than counseling or detention time? Is he getting into trouble because of behavioral issues or problems with substance abuse? Has your home life degenerated into a battleground because of constant fights and bickering between your teen and other family members? Does your teen burst into bouts of temper? These issues are no small matter. When parents fail to provide timely intervention, a teen with behavioral and emotional issues may pose a danger not just to...
