Raising a teenager is a full time job. Many times teens seem to grow an attitude overnight leaving parents wondering what happened to their loving child and where the attitude came from. Normal teen rebellion is a common problem, but sometimes there are other causes of rebellion. Parenting techniques can help with some issues, but other issues may require therapy services to remedy underlying issues. Around 11% of adolescent age children have some sort of depression by the age of 18. Girls and women experience depression at a much higher rate, 70% more than males. When other parenting techniques fail, seeking therapy services can help ease the stress and bring some peace into your home. Consider these tips to help deal with an unruly teenager.
Discipline
Discipline should start early, so that there are no surprises once your child hits the rebellious stages of their teenage years. Consistent discipline sets firm boundaries for children and lets them understand that there are certain consequences for pushing those boundaries. This will come in handy when your teenager decides that they are independent and can make their own choices. While this is a healthy and natural part of the teenage life, they also need to understand that there are consequences for certain actions.
Minimize Technology
This is am important point for both parents and kids. Children should be allowed age appropriate technology. Their time on such technology should be limited and monitored by parents to encourage good use rather than negative use. Parents should also minimize their use of technology as well. When parents overwhelm children with technology children tend to get discouraged and not want to communicate through technology. Parents should also remember that social media sites should be separate as well. If parents and children have social media sites, parents should check with kids before posting comments, statuses or pictures. This allows the child to feel in control while parents can still monitor.
Availability
Children give their parents the impression that they want nothing to do with them and that they want their space. This is true some of the time, but that doesn’t mean abandon your children. Offer chances to do things with your kids, even if they decline, be home when your kids are home, even if they are old enough to look after themselves. Eat dinner as a family even if they don’t feel like talking. Making yourself available to your children will show them that you are there for them, and that they can come to you if the need ever arises.
Connection
Teens have a way of working our nerves especially with their lovely attitudes and their nonstop arguments. While many parents attempt to correct this sort of attitude, taking a different approach could produce different results. Instead of correcting your teen’s outbursts, try to connect with them to figure out why they are having the outbursts. Parent’s tend to forget that their lives are not the only stressful ones. Teenager’s lives get stressful as well and sometimes home is the only place they can express this stress. Connecting with your child to recognize their feelings may not be easy, but it is an important part of dealing with teens.
Warnings
Some rebellious behavior is normal, but some is not. Some behaviors are considered high risk and should be definite warning signs. Behaviors such as experimenting or using illegal drugs, having unprotected sex, or getting into trouble with the law signals that your teen is in immediate danger. Immediate help and support are needed for these behaviors. Counseling and therapy services are great ways to help parents deal with dangerous behaviors such as these. Individual counseling and family and group therapy can help teens work through their problems and help parents better cope with these problems.
Almost half of Americans with depression don’t get treatment for their illness. Seeking out therapy services shows children that there is nothing wrong with getting help when you need it. Modeling proper behavior helps children see what is expected of them so parents should always model the behavior and actions they want from their children.
