What Parents Can Do About Troubled Teens?

Answer 1

Time and again, news reports and newspaper headlines are filled with stories of troubled teens making mischief. Sometimes they merely vandalize a piece of property, or stupidly drive their cars recklessly. But all too often, these troubled youths slip into full-blown delinquency, or worse, acts of violence and crime. The most famous incident was the shooting at Columbine High School, however many smaller but equally tragic incidents happen year after year.

So what can parents do about a school’s troubled teens? The first step is to ensure that their own children do not fall into such a trap. The biggest problem teens have today is that they feel they are unloved by their parents. All too often, parents think that they can make a child feel loved merely by providing them with an internet connection, the latest gadgets and the most fashionable clothes. Digital technology is increasingly allowing people to avoid interaction, and it is this isolation that leads many teens to become troubled. One’s teenage years is when they develop the most of their social skills and the ability to get along with and understand others. Physically isolated teens tend to be socially isolated teens, and so adults should do what they can to encourage their kids to interact with their friends in person, to make new friends, and ensure that they can indulge and enjoy their passions and hobbies. Teenagers with little to rebel against tend not to rebel much.

Another big way parents can help is to reach out to those whose parents are too negligent or too busy to reach out to their children. All too often, troubled teens are merely just confused and stressed-out youths that feel that their problems are not understood and addressed by the adults around them. Helping kids to engage in extracurricular activities or regular meets where they can get around the rigid social structure and make friends is the best way to help, since almost all troubled teens are socially isolated as well. Adults with a professional background can offer free counseling or therapy, and those who aren’t can help those who can’t gain acceptance through sports or being attractive.