| Knowledge is power when it comes to helping a | | | | rebellion and defiance. Parents should get the teen's |
| troubled teen. Informed parents are wise parents | | | | cooperation in turning his or her life around. |
| who are capable of helping teens overcome their | | | | Instruction should be by example rather than by |
| adolescent problems. Parents can use information and | | | | regulation. The family should be a democratic entity |
| tips that are available on the internet, in books and | | | | and not a didactic one. Parents should offer their help |
| forums to gather information on how they can | | | | often and be the shoulder for the troubled teen to |
| effectively help their teenager to become a | | | | cry on. |
| responsible adult. | | | | Teenage activities need to be monitored by parents. |
| Adolescence is a period in life when the child goes | | | | Parents should know who their adolescent's friends |
| through physical and emotional changes. Parents also | | | | are, where the teenager is going, why the teenager |
| need to change their attitudes at this time. The rules | | | | is behaving in an uncontrollable manner and what the |
| made when the teen was younger will no longer | | | | teenager does in his or her spare time. Parents need |
| work and parents need to make new sets of rules | | | | to set reasonable limits. They should discuss the |
| which are flexible yet rules that will keep the | | | | benefits of these limits with the teenager. If the |
| behavior of the teen in check. Communication with | | | | teenager feels the limits are unreasonable, suitable |
| the teen is vital at this point and the teen needs to | | | | changes should be made to the limits within reason. |
| be monitored at all times. Parents will need to change | | | | Parents need to set goals for teenagers. They need |
| their role from dictators and role models to friends | | | | to show them that going to college and getting a |
| and consultants. | | | | career are important. If the teen has dreams, parents |
| Parents should seek external help to reform the teen | | | | need to encourage the dreams until their fulfillment. |
| if they are unable to manage their teenager's | | | | Parents should not limit the dreams of their teenager |
| problems. Society and medical science acknowledge | | | | by forcing him or her to be conventional. Parents |
| the problems that teenagers face and professional | | | | should also help teenagers deal with disappointments |
| help is available. Physicians can correct teenage mood | | | | in a positive way. They should be able to rejoice in |
| swings caused by hormonal imbalance with medication | | | | the successes of the teenager and deal positively |
| and psychologists can help troubled teens with | | | | with the failures. |
| expert therapies. Specially trained counselors can | | | | Parents are the main pivots that help to turn around |
| motivate the teen to learn to lead a more positive | | | | the life of a troubled teen. Parents need to make |
| way of life. | | | | changes in their attitudes and values when the child |
| Communication in a friendly fashion will go a long way | | | | becomes an adolescent. Parents should make every |
| in helping a troubled teen. Parents should empathize | | | | effort in correcting and working with the teenager to |
| with the child at this time. Criticism will result in | | | | overcome his or her many adolescent problems. |