How to Handle Out of Control Teens
The teenage years can be a challenging time for both young people and parents. Many teens rebel because they are eager to try new things and fit in with their friends. Since teens are still developing both physically and mentally, certain behaviors such as being moody and occasionally talking back are normal. However, if your teen is starting to show alarming behavior, such as smoking, sleeping all day, or constantly getting in trouble at school, it is time to step in.
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Instructions
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Look for changes in your teen's behavior. If your former honor student is now failing all of their exams, or if a child who is normally on time for curfew is now consistently coming home late, take these signals as a red flag that something is wrong.
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Talk to your teen. While some teens may slam a door and refuse to discuss their problems, others may be open to chatting. If you can find out if your teen is dealing with an issue that is causing the change in behavior, you may be able to share your own life experience with them to help.
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Organize a weekly family time, to play games or enjoy an outing together. If your teen won't give up her Friday or Saturday night, try a Thursday evening or Sunday afternoon. Your teen has reached a point where fitting in with friends is very important. You need to make sure that she still sees the importance of being part of the family unit. This can also be a great time to have your teen open up about what is new in her life.
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Encourage your teen to join a team or activity. If your teen is isolating himself a lot, help him to find a place where he can fit in with peers and practice his skills. If your teen likes music, enroll him in guitar lessons. If your teen is athletic, tell him to try out for the soccer team.
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Set the rules upfront. Don't let your teen use "I didn't know" as an excuse for coming home late or going some place where she is not allowed. Make a physical list of ground rules that you hang up in the kitchen to remind your teen of what is expected of her. Make sure that your teen has a cell phone so that she has no excuse not to call home if her plans change or if she is running late.
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Punish your teen when necessary and stand behind your punishment. If you tell your teen that he is grounded for three days, do not give in and give him his freedom back after only a day or two. If your teen knows that you are not a person who sticks to your word, he will continue to rebel.
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Know when to seek professional help. If your teen is cutting herself, using drugs or doing anything else that you believe is putting her life in danger, call and make an appointment with a counselor or psychiatrist immediately.
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Tips & Warnings
Know your teenager's friends. Have your teen's pals over the house so that you can get to know them. If your son or daughter wants to have a sleepover at another teen's house, be sure to call their parents to make sure there will be supervision.
If your teen goes through a traumatizing experience such as a death in the family, a rape or long-term illness, it's important to seek proper treatment and counseling right away. Helping teens find healthy ways to heal from traumatic events can lead to less out of control behavior later on.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit Portrait of a styled professional model. Theme: teens, music. image by Andrey Kiselev from Fotolia.com
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Comments
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yes, parents have vital roles in rearing children they would influence children to path the right way. family foundation is very crucial because that is where the child starts.
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there should be caring from the parts of parents.
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teens are not animals to be trained by parents and psychiatrists. they are human beings and even rebelion is right.parents who look for the perfect kid who will obey all their wishes and do all the chores can really damage their child's psychology and cause many problems to their future life.if your teen does not respect you that's because you are not respectable.
