How to Parent Troubled Teen Girls
A girl's teen years can be one of the most chaotic periods of transition. The body begins to develop, emotions start to flutter and rebellion sets in. There is a great deal of pressure coming from several directions. Society, family and peer influence can make a teenage girl feel overwhelmed and confused about who she is. There are several ways to know whether she is troubled or not. If you find your teen more distant and rebellious than usual, you need to get to the bottom of it. It is best that you catch deviant behavior in its earliest stages.
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Instructions
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Sit down with your daughter to see if she will open up to you. Tell her you love her and you're open to listen to anything she needs to say. Avoid pushing for answers because this will drive her away. Wait for her to come and talk to you once you have extended the invitation.
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Make a question box for anything she may want to tell you without verbalizing it.
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Check her room for signs of something that likely caused this behavioral problem. Look for drugs, condoms, prescription pills, graded papers, journals or anything unusual.
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Ensure that she is eating a well balanced diet. Eating disorders are extremely common in teenage girls.
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Make no assumptions about what is going on with her. Take note to bizarre behaviors and patterns. Never accuse her of doing something you suspect. This may make things worse because she may feel as if you do not trust her.
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Consult your daughter's school to see if teachers or other staff notice anything unusual. Contact her friends and ask if they have noticed any odd behavior in her lately. Exercise discretion when calling her friends. It is risky calling friends that will tell her you questioned her whereabouts; this can sometimes backfire.
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Take her to a therapist or school counselor. You never know if you are the root of the problem. Talking to someone else may result in her opening up. Show sensitivity when asking her to see a counselor. It is not easy to just admit that there is a problem that needs to be addressed.
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