Helping kids who don't think they need help.
It is hard to think how many families are facing issues with struggling teenagers. With so many influences coming toward our kids now, it is no surprise that kids often go off the rails. Social networking sites, texting, sexting all bring the outside world into your teen’s world, with very little filter on the information that arrives. Friends put pressure on other friends to join more sites, get more connections spend more time on line and less with family. The computer stays on and families lose more and more control when the word “no” drops out of their vocabulary.
When there are struggling teenagers in families, everyone tends to walk on eggshells. It has also been referred to as living with an emotional terrorist. Parents find themselves at a loss as to what the next course of action should be. Should it mean switching out of their traditional public school to a more structured private school? Should it mean working with a psychiatrist and seeing if medication can help? Should it mean going to therapy several times a week? When families are faced with struggling teenagers, they rarely have a road map out of the mess that has become the norm for their family.
Having been one of those families with struggling teenagers, I can appreciate the dilemma that parents feel. I also can tell you that I have come out the other end, and my child has proven to be my greatest teacher. It is not an easy road to travel, but if families need help, there are good options available. Yes, these programs can be costly, both financially and emotionally. But, it is a road that is full of hope for your child and one on which many families choose to embark. So if your world is turned upside down due to struggling teenagers, know that there are options out there to help. You simply need to decide to regain the control in your family and take some action.