4 Troubled Teens Blog

It's a dichotomy unique to raising a teenager: You don't want your child out drinking and partying, but if he has fewer friends and stays home a lot, you worry that hes anti-social and unhappy.

What's a parent to do with the teenager who likes staying home on a Friday night and isn't part of the "in crowd"?

You may want to fix your teenage child, but you also need to consider that he may not need fixing. ...

Were your son totally friendless, spending all his time alone in his room playing online video games, if he constantly seemed depressed or irritable -- then you would definitely want to intervene. (Source: The Globe and Mail)

Some kids are just more introverted. They like having a few close friends. They like being home. And while those concepts may run counter to our beliefs about teenagers, they're not necessarily bad.

Many parents would give just about anything for their teenage child to be home more often. A child who is less social but also happy and well-adjusted isn't one about whom parents should worry.

Labels: teenagers, social_pressures

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

When kids are transitioning into middle school, they need their parents more than ever. Grade school is relatively easy, but in middle school kids are faced with cliques and increased social pressure to fit in.

"Parents can help pave the way to teenagerhood by maintaining communications with their children, being warm and nurturing, and knowing where their kids are and who their friends are..."

Studies have shown that girls who have a warm, nurturing mom were less likely to have problems in middle school and that good, consistent communication helped middle school students manage their fears and reduce their social aggression toward other students. Source: U.S. News

Labels: parental_involvement, schools, social_pressures

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments