Insecurities. Mood swings. Peer pressure. Bullying. These are a few of the common issues that adolescents commonly face, which can potentially lead to early signs of troubled teen behavior and the problems that may arise with it. There are several troubled teen programs available with positive results. Yet, according to verwellfamily.com, one of the most important steps is recognizing early signs of trouble teen behavior, then intervening and taking action. While this is common advice, what’s next and as a...
This is a difficult question to answer. However, for you, as a parent, this is a double-edged sword. Determining the best solution for your troubled teen may not always be the easiest one to accept. This is especially true when it comes to sending them to a therapeutic school for teens (or similar programs), even though it may be for the best. There are many aspects to consider when you “send them away” or you feel “you have failed as...
Selecting a residential program can be daunting, exciting, scary, nerve-wracking, upsetting, freeing, the list goes on. How do you know if a residential program could be right for you and your teen? What is a Residential Program? Residential programs are live-in facilities that a teen stays at for a specific period of time. The amount of time a teen needs may be decided based on a school year, the summer season, on the teen’s experience themselves, the structure of the...
Those feelings of close, true, trusting relationships between parent and daughter can be rare when you are both working on resolving challenging behaviors. You see the pictures online, the posts about mothers and daughter, of fathers and daughters, sharing something sweet, gentle, encouraging. But your experience isn’t quite like those of the other mothers and fathers online. Your relationship is more strained. It feels conditional on your daughter’s mood that moment. It can quickly turn from happy to scary. We...
Interacting with a troubled teen can increase our heart rate, blood pressure and make our breathing rather shallow. This is the way your body reacts to stressful situations. This is called the Fight or Flight response. Your body works to get you ready to react in a stressful or survival situation. Not every conversation will spark this response. Some will turn it on immediately. Sometimes just the thoughts in your mind can bring on this response. When we feel in...
With the summer fast approaching, do you have a plan for your teen? Some teens stay home all summer, some get jobs and others look for a variety of programs. With many options available for teens over the summer, consider what your teen is excelling in and what they could use some help with. What Type of Program? What kind of program are you looking for? There are programs with very flexible scheduling and others that are more regimented. Each...
Teenagers want to feel in control. Teenagers also turn into young adults. To prepare those young adults in the making, independent living skills are incredibly valuable and a great way to hand over some control. When you spend your time dealing with behavioral challenges, teaching your children how to use a plunger seems like an unnecessary task. However, when your teen turns into a young adult, he is going to need these skills in order to thrive. Focusing on strengths...
Enrolling your teen into a program to address challenging or concerning behaviors comes with many questions and decisions. Locating a program that is right for your teen is key to getting him help. There are many options available including online programs for teens, summer camps, military programs, residential, outpatient, wilderness and therapeutic. You know your teen best, so consider the behaviors you are seeing as well as the characteristics of your teen. When interviewing programs, ask many questions and be...
As a parent, the last thing on your mind is sending your teenager away to a boot camp for behavior issues. Unless of course that teenager is acting out, troubled, and seemingly irrational. The thought of sending your child to a boot camp can be scary but it doesn’t have to be. There are many different types of boot camps and they can be very beneficial. But how can you be sure? What things should you, as the parent, be...
Defiant behavior happens when a person purposely opposes ruling or structure. When a child has defiant behavior, they are most likely opposing the structure a parent or adult has created. Parents often feel this behavior is their fault or they are failing as a parent to create the structure their child needs. This is not necessarily the case, There are many reasons a child may act out. Disobedience, defiant behavior, and acting out basically means someone is trying to “act...
