A guide to teen parenting
A high percentage of teens -- nearly one-half -- had experienced some traumatic event in their adolescent years. Nearly one-fifth of the nation's teens are suffering from emotional disorders.
Some have faced violence and abuse in their lives and have enormous difficulty dealing with it. The result: clinical depression, even posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). For others, the trouble is internal -- they battle an inherited anxiety disorder, triggered by troubling life experiences. Unfortunately, few adolescents are getting the psychological help they need.
People with good emotional health are in control of their thoughts, feelings and behaviors. They feel positive about themselves and have good relationships.
They can keep their problems in perspective. They have both self-awareness and self-control.Your child's teenage years can be a difficult time. Teens may feel overwhelmed by the Emotional and physical changes they are going through. At the same time, teens may be facing a number of pressures -¬ from friends to fit in and from parents and other adults to do well in school, or activities like sports or part-time jobs.
The teenage years are a time of transition from childhood into adulthood. Teens often struggle with being dependent on their parents while having a strong desire to be independent. They may experiment with new values, ideas, hairstyles and clothing as they try to define who they are. Although this may be uncomfortable for parents, it is a normal part of being a teenager.
Communicating your love for your child is the single most important thing you can do. Children decide how they feel about themselves in large part by how their parents react to them. For this reason, it's important for parents to help their children feel good about themselves.Don't ignore a problem in the hopes that it will go away. It is easier to cope with problems when they are small. This also gives you and your teen the opportunity to learn how to work through problems together.
Is it a behavioral disorder such as Oppositional Defiant Disorder (ODD), a pattern of negative, defiant, and disobedient behavior, or Conduct Disorder, where your child repeatedly and persistently violates rules and the rights of others without concern or empathy? Perhaps the most important question of all for parents to consider is, how much distress is your child’s problem causing you, the child, or other members of the family?
If you suspect there is a problem, ask your teen about what is bothering him or her. And then don’t be afraid to ask for help. Many resources are listed here.
They can be of great help. They are user-friendly guide for professionals who supervise, manage, teach, or treat teenagers who get into trouble.
