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Facing the Challenges

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Perhaps the only thing more difficult than being a teenager is parenting one.

Parents must question their own ideas related to granting reasonable levels of independence, displaying “attitude”, selecting effective discipline strategies and choosing battles wisely. Because each parent/adolescent journey is unique there is no way to smooth all the creases or anticipate all the challenges beforehand.

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There are aspects of the journey that appear to be universal such as: 

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School

Difficulties

Parent-Teen conflict

Anxiety

Mood Issues (depression)

Aggression

Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD)

Sexual issues

Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)

Sexual experimentation or promiscuity

Eating disorders

Self mutilation

Drinking and driving

Stealing, lying or sneaking out-of-the-house

Withdrawing

Poor self-esteem

 

Working Together Delivers Real Results

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One of the few guarantees that a parent can anticipate with their child during the adolescent phase is ongoing change and inconsistency. Just when you think you’ve finally discovered an approach that ensures the success of all future interactions your teen throws a curve ball.

They arrive at the next issue/situation with a totally different set of ideas, views, expectations and attitudes. This occurs in part due to the emergence