What Will Parents Do About Their Difficult Teens?

 

Since slamming the door and storming out, are not the only way to recognise difficult teens, what will parents do to solve the general problem of difficult teens? Here is a suggestion from parenthotline.net on difficult teens. You should answer either yes or no to the questions below. But try to keep count of your answers because they will suggest the next action you'll take. Are you ready? Let's go!

 

How Many Of These Difficult Teens' Symptoms Would You Answer "yes" to?

 

1. Does your teen struggle with basic family rules and expectations?

 

2. Has your teen ever been suspended, expelled, truant, or had a drop in school grades?

 

3. Is your teen verbally abusive?

 

4. Does your teen associate with a bad peer group?

 

5. Has your teen lost interest in former productive activities, hobbies or sports?

 

6. Do you have difficulty getting your teen to do simple chores or homework?

 

7. Has your teen had problems with the law?

 

8. Do you find yourself picking your words carefully when speaking to your teen, so as not to elicit a verbal attack or rage from them?

 

9. Are you worried that your teen may not finish high school?

 

10 .Does your teen seem depressed/withdrawn?

 

11. Has your teen's appearance and/or personal hygiene changed?

 

12. Does your teen ever display violent behavior?

 

13. Is your teen manipulative and/or deceitful?

 

14. Does your teen seem to demonstrate a lack of motivation?

 

15. Do you suspect that your teen sometimes lies or is dishonest with you? (If you have answered no all the way to this point, your child may not be a difficult teen after all. If you�ve answered �yes�, continue reading)

 

16. Are you concerned that your teen may be sexually promiscuous?

 

17. Has your teen ever displayed any evidence of suicide ideation?

 

18. Do you suspect at times you have had money or other valuables from your home?

 

19. Does your teen's behavior concern you for their safety?

 

20. Is your teen angry or display temper outbursts?

 

21. Does your teen seem to lack self-esteem and self-worth?

 

22. Do you have a lack of trust with your teen?

 

23. Does your teen have problems with authority?

 

24. Does your teen engage in activities you don't approve of?

 

25. Do you think your teen is possibly using or experimenting with drugs/alcohol? (or going with difficult teens who do drugs?)

 

26. Are you concerned about your child's well being and their future?

 

27. Does your teen seem to constantly be in opposition to your family values?

 

28. No matter what rules and consequences are established, do you feel that your teen will defy them?

 

29. Are you exhausted and worn out from your teen's defiant and/or destructive behavior and choices?

 

30. When dealing with your teen, do you often feel that you are powerless?

 

Tally your yes responses. Based on the number of your 'yes' responses, our recommendations would be as follows:

 

18+: High risk. Get help! (Your child may a difficult teen) A residential center, treatment program or specialty school is strongly recommended.

 

9-17: Borderline risk. (Your may not be one of the difficult teens) It is possible that the problems can be resolved by tightening up the family rules and structure. However, it may be that a residential center, treatment program or specialty school needs to be considered.

 

Up to 8: Moderate risk. Tighten up family rules/understandings, and be consistent with your monitoring and follow through. They also have a free video that shows parent discussing how they solved problems of their difficult teens on the website (parenthotline.net). And below the page, you will find more tips on discipline.

 

Another revealing research is that of Dr. Suniya S. Luthar of Columbia University, whose study appeared in Current Directions in Psychological Science. He said on average, teenagers who live with wealthy, highly educated parents in suburbs are more troubled than other teens, even those living in inner-city poverty. Suburban teens smoke, drink and use drugs more than their urban peers and have higher levels of anxiety and depression.

 

Upper-class suburban girls are three times as likely to suffer depression compared with other adolescent girls. All these are factors that breed difficult teens. Since this is caused by isolation, he said that the solution to that is simply: family dinner. "Kids who usually eat with at least one parent have better grades and fewer emotional problems than kids who dine on their own."

 

Holly

Boerne,TX

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