Oh, to go back to the days when you were teaching your child his first words! Looking – and listening to your teen now – you wonder what happened to that sweet little child who loved to whisper sweet words to your ear. Now, you are grappling with a teenager who has become verbally abusive, not only to you, but to his teachers, his siblings and the people who love and care about him. How do you respond when your...
Your teen is coming home after completing a teen wilderness program or a troubled teen residential program. There are feelings of relief and joy (“My child is coming home at last!”). However, these are mixed with feelings of trepidation and anxiety (“Will he go back to his old ways? How long will the improvement last?”). The fear that your child’s return home will also signal his return to old attitudes, habits and addictions is understandable. There is a risk that...
Bullying is not a problem that we can ignore or dismiss. Bullying can come be verbal (insults or name calling), physical (threatening or hurting the victim) and even emotional (exclusion or intimidation). The emotional and physical effects of bullying can cause scars that will take a lot of time to heal. In some cases, bullying has proved fatal when some teens would rather end their life than face another day with the bullies at school. It is important to note...
If you are worried that the summer and its idle days can only give more time for your teen to get into mischief, why not sign him up for teen summer camp? Some summer camps are especially designed for helping troubled teens deal with behavioral issues and grow towards the right direction. Teen Summer Camps Here are some reasons why this may be the thing to help your child get back on track: - Focus on behavioral issues. These teen...
The teenage years can be especially tumultuous both to parents and the teenagers themselves. However, the task of raising and disciplining a teenager becomes all the more challenging if you have in your hands what can be considered a troubled teen. When a teen struggles with harmful emotions and behaviors, it may be time to seek help and consider a residential treatment center. Troubled teen boarding school can help teens who have: - Drugs or other substance abuse problems -...
It’s hard to imagine that your little ray of sunshine has somehow turned into a sullen, moody teenager. As a parent, you become hard put to discipline and manage your child when you are met with a wall of annoyance, antagonism or resentment. The teen’s struggle to transition from childhood into adulthood can seem overwhelming. He is faced with many emotions – pressure from parents and peers, feelings of confusion about his body and shifting roles or the intense emotions...
It is basically every parent’s fear – being the last to know, and finding out only too late. Indeed, with parents also busy with providing for the family and building a home, and with teenagers becoming more and more independent, it is a challenge for parents to keep track of their children and spot potential problems so that they can start efforts to nip these problems in the bud. The same goes for substance (drugs, alcohol or both) abuse. The...
Yes! That teen wilderness program did wonders for your child. He has literally gone out of the woods with his drug or substance abuse problem. But parents, be warned. Your struggle does not end after your child’s teen summer camp ends. There is a very real possibility of a relapse. It is an addiction, after all. A relapse can occur, particularly if your teen is exposed to triggers that tempt him to wallow in addiction once more, after having struggled...
The tumultuous teenage years need plenty of love and patience, as well as a firm yet gentle hand that can lead a troubled teen towards the road to maturity and independence. Often, for more at-risk teens therapeutic intervention may be necessary by way of a troubled teen program. Fortunately, parents now have a wide range of choices. Your choice may depend on which type of treatment you feel your teen will best respond to. Here are some troubled teen services...
As a parent of a troubled teen, you may be nearly at the end of your rope in trying to find ways to help your child. One of the more popular troubled teen programs is a therapeutic wilderness program. However, as a parent, you may balk at the thought of having your child out there in the wild. Is there really therapeutic benefit in a wilderness experience? Does nature in its wild, raw beauty really have therapeutic powers? Decades of...
