Out of the Box Options for Helping Your Troubled Teen Boy

Out of the Box Options for Helping Your Troubled Teen Boy

When you have a teen boy who rebels, even going so far as to find himself in trouble with the law, it calls for a revision in parental thinking. The first instinct for most parents is to wonder what they did wrong? But know that in spite of the best parenting, there are teens who will rebel anyway. Now it’s time to think outside the box.

Parent Tips

It helps to remember that your teen is not the only teen to rebel and get into trouble. Lots of parents have been down this road before. What tips would those parents share with you?

  • The number one thing to remember is that you cannot control your teen’s actions. Your teen has choices, just like you do, and most of his day is not spent with you. No matter what choices your teen makes, they’re his.
  • Since your teen is not in your control, part of thinking outside the box is to let go of the control you really don’t have. This could mean letting go of the dreams you had for that child, or if you’re religious, giving the problem to God.
  • Letting go doesn’t mean giving up! Don’t give up on that child or the potential you see in him. Love him unconditionally, and when one thing doesn’t work, think outside the box and try something else.
  • Don’t be afraid to look for outside help. Sometimes the problem is bigger than you.

Thinking Outside the Box

So what does that even mean, think outside the box? How does it apply to your troubled teen boy?

Sometimes we parents put ourselves {or our kids} in a box–we expect certain things or we get stuck doing what we’ve always done–when what we need is to open the box and look around at other options that may actually work. When you break a bone, you rush to an emergency room or other urgent care facility, and get help to fix it. When a family member is broken, we may feel embarrassed or hesitant about saying we need help, but there is no shame in it. Open the box and look around at the professional help that is available for your teen boy.

If your teen boy is struggling in his environment, whether it’s school, home, or peer-related, it might be a good idea to get him outside of that box entirely and change his environment. A change of environment to one that allows for healing, such as residential therapy or a therapeutic boot camp, can help to break the cycle of rebelliousness and set your teen on a much better path.

Request Free Admissions Information

Step 1 of 3 - Your Contact Info

Written by Natalie

15 Dec, 2017

Recent Posts

Teen Personality Disorders and How Parents Can Help

In many ways, getting a diagnosis for your teen’s personality disorder is a relief. It can also feel overwhelming and scary. But having a diagnosis gives you and your teen a way forward with a treatment plan. This is the first step in helping your teen work through...

Therapeutic Boarding Schools Change Lives

It can be a difficult decision to decide to send your teen to a therapeutic boarding school. There is the hope that you can figure out and overcome your challenges together at home. There is also the reluctance to send your child to live away from home. That said, if...

7 Tips to Cope With Teen Stress

With the stressors we face as adults, with work and family responsibilities, it’s easy to forget that our teens also often face significant pressure and stress as they navigate their lives. If your teen has been having a tough time, there are a few things that you can...

Parenting Tips for 14 year olds

Teens can be hard to talk to sometimes and even to engage with. Many kids are dealing with changes during the early teenage years that can lead them to act out, be closed off, or be generally disrespectful toward their parents or authority figures. When you are trying...

What are the Benefits of Equine Therapy

Working and interacting with horses is by no means a new trend; in fact, utilizing this type of therapy with horses for issues such as anxiety and depression has occurred for several decades. Though more research needs to be done to delve into the full benefits of...

How to Set a Curfew For Your Teen

When your teen was younger, it wasn’t necessary to set a curfew for him. Most likely because you were the one who was running around dropping him off and then picking him up. As he grows up and gains independence, it is more likely that he is driving himself or...

What to Do When Your Teen Lies

When was the last time that you told a little white lie? If we’re honest with ourselves, we don’t always tell the truth. We may tell our partners, children, and coworkers those little white lies even when we know better. Children and teens may not always know better...

How to Deal With an Aggressive Teenager

As the parent of a teen, you may expect a level of angst, anger, eye-rolling, and the occasional slammed door after a disagreement. What you may not expect is aggressive behavior that may be verbal and physical. Whether your teen is strictly verbally aggressive or has...

Handling a Teen Who Steals

When you were a child, did you take a candy bar from a store without paying? Many of us have done this in our younger years. How our parents responded shaped our ability to make decisions and know the difference between right and wrong. Most of us grew out of this...

Parenting a Narcissistic Teenager

What is your understanding of what narcissism is? It’s often misunderstood and overused. Anyone who talks a bit much about themselves or seems to enjoy dressing up can often be referred to as a narcissist when they may just have great self-confidence. In truth,...

You May Also Like…

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *