| Teenagers in general go through some tough times, | | | | help, a number of things can be done that makes it |
| which is simply a part of transitioning from a child to | | | | easier and more effective when dealing with a |
| an adult. Even teens that perform great in school, | | | | rebellious teen, which could include intervention or |
| never come home late, stay involved with school | | | | rehabilitation in severe cases. |
| activities, and have amazing friends will have tough | | | | - Failures - Many struggling teens fear the parents will |
| periods. However, for parents of rebellious teens, it | | | | be angry, disappointed, or unforgiving when they fail. |
| seems as if the world is ending. Struggling teens are | | | | Teens need to be provided with reassurance that |
| going through extreme hormonal changes, dealing | | | | everyone fails. Additionally, the teenager needs to |
| with peer pressure, and trying to establish their own | | | | know the parents forgive and love them |
| identity, opinions, and thoughts on top of the | | | | unconditionally. With this comes an opportunity to |
| transition. | | | | provide parental help through communication and |
| Interestingly, while most parents think that rebellious | | | | guidance. |
| teens do not listen, could care less what is being said, | | | | - Listening - Another mistake that parents make is |
| and sometimes may not even love them, the truth is | | | | not listening to a rebellious teen. Instead, parents are |
| that troubled teens are actually looking for | | | | too busy counseling, criticizing, and questioning, which |
| reassurance, support, encouragement, guidance, and | | | | is a shame because a huge opportunity to get inside |
| even discipline. Some struggling teens become so bold | | | | the teen's mind and heart is being missed. This means |
| with decisions that they find themselves in | | | | parents do not understand what things the rebellious |
| uncomfortable and even dangerous situations while | | | | teen is facing so the right parental help could be |
| having no clue how to get out. Therefore, parents | | | | provided. |
| should step in to provide the teenager with a sense | | | | - Boundaries - As mentioned, while most rebellious |
| of comfort in that they do not have to be in control | | | | teens swear they want more freedom, the truth is |
| or make adult decisions just yet. | | | | they need set boundaries. The key is allowing the |
| With the right type of parental help, rebellious teens | | | | teenager enough room to fail, which is how he or she |
| can get through the tough years easier. Some | | | | will learn but setting enough restrictions to keep the |
| parents make the mistake of thinking that once the | | | | teen safe. |
| kids become teenagers, they can be friends, setting | | | | - Decisions - By the time a child becomes a teenager, |
| the parent/child relationship on the back burner. | | | | it is imperative that parents start letting him or her |
| However, at this time more than any other in life, the | | | | make decisions. When dealing with rebellious teens, |
| teenager needs a parent, not a friend. When parents | | | | this would start out small and over time progress. By |
| try to be friends with struggling teens, there is a | | | | giving struggling teens room to grow and mature |
| sense of no one being in control, making the | | | | they actually respect the parents more, which begins |
| rebellious teen feel insecure and even unloved. | | | | to create a stronger bond while diminishing anger. |
| Of course, rebellious teens may not always show | | | | - Praise - Finally, even though rebellious teens may do |
| appreciation but parents need to understand some of | | | | numerous things wrong, rather than always focus on |
| the acting out is merely for show. On the other hand, | | | | failures or mistakes, parents need to praise them for |
| some rebellious teens are crying out for help because | | | | the actions and decisions they do right. This type of |
| they are struggling with something major. In this | | | | "reverse psychology" provides parenting help that |
| case, the teenager may have been molested or | | | | shows the teenager attention can be obtained by |
| raped, be involved with drugs or alcohol, or become | | | | doing good things, not bad. |
| caught up with a bad group of friends. For parenting | | | | |