All children grow up, the tiny bundle of joy you are holding now will be a 6 ft tall teenager who constantly has his head in your fridge or his hand out for some money soon enough. The teenage years are almost certain to be some of the most difficult years you will ever go through with your child.
A friend of mine once said that teenagers are like humans who have lost their rational mind and then when they get to 18/19 they slowly get them back again, usually. The teenage years are the time when all the stored happy memories have to be pulled out to stop you from giving up on them.
Being a parent is tough, from the sleepless nights when they are newborns, on through the nights with all the usual kids illness and then onto when they are teenagers and start dating, getting jobs and driving. Taking the easy path is not what being a parent is about, you are meant to put your children first and that means you will have to make some tough choices.
Like adults not every child is the same, some are tall some are thin, some are caring, some are stubborn. Not all teenagers are the same, and not every teenager is out of control, well not always
Being honest with yourself, your spouse and even your teenager is vital. If they are behaving erratically constantly, constantly ignoring curfew and generally behaving in ways that they haven't done before then it is only natural for you to wonder whether drugs or alcohol is involved.
In some ways it is easier if alcohol is involved as you are probably more aware of how it smells and how it makes you behave. Before you go and start calling Alcoholics Anonymous take the time to sit down with your teenager and tell them exactly what is worrying you.
You are not failing as a parent if you seek assistance from a professional for your family. It is better to have to deal with some feelings of failure now while you can still talk to your kids rather than waiting till they get themselves into real trouble. Don't wait till it is too late out of a false sense or pride. - 29958
A friend of mine once said that teenagers are like humans who have lost their rational mind and then when they get to 18/19 they slowly get them back again, usually. The teenage years are the time when all the stored happy memories have to be pulled out to stop you from giving up on them.
Being a parent is tough, from the sleepless nights when they are newborns, on through the nights with all the usual kids illness and then onto when they are teenagers and start dating, getting jobs and driving. Taking the easy path is not what being a parent is about, you are meant to put your children first and that means you will have to make some tough choices.
Like adults not every child is the same, some are tall some are thin, some are caring, some are stubborn. Not all teenagers are the same, and not every teenager is out of control, well not always
Being honest with yourself, your spouse and even your teenager is vital. If they are behaving erratically constantly, constantly ignoring curfew and generally behaving in ways that they haven't done before then it is only natural for you to wonder whether drugs or alcohol is involved.
In some ways it is easier if alcohol is involved as you are probably more aware of how it smells and how it makes you behave. Before you go and start calling Alcoholics Anonymous take the time to sit down with your teenager and tell them exactly what is worrying you.
You are not failing as a parent if you seek assistance from a professional for your family. It is better to have to deal with some feelings of failure now while you can still talk to your kids rather than waiting till they get themselves into real trouble. Don't wait till it is too late out of a false sense or pride. - 29958
About the Author:
If you have an out of control teen it can be difficult to know what to do for the right. There comes a time If you need to get professional help. Leaving your troubled teen to his own devices will not help him or you.
