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

Why We Are Seeing an Increase in Teen Anxiety

Why We Are Seeing an Increase in Teen Anxiety

Anxiety is a natural response to stress and fear. For years teens have been facing increasing pressure from school, sports commitments, family concerns, and even peer issues. With everything they’re struggling with, it makes sense that they would have increased...

Let’s Get Creative! How to Spark Your Teens Creative Side.

Let’s Get Creative! How to Spark Your Teens Creative Side.

While the summertime can burst with days of full-filled activities, most of the time is probably downtime for your teenager. This isn't bad; after all, time for rest and recovery is imperative. However, too many days of quiet time can lead to boredom for kids of all...

8 Ways to Stay Connected To Your Teen

8 Ways to Stay Connected To Your Teen

We live in an increasingly interconnected world. This is why it can sometimes be baffling that it’s not always easy to connect and stay connected with your teen. Most of the time, we have communication devices in our hands, using them to connect through social media...

Shy Teen? How to Make Friends!

Shy Teen? How to Make Friends!

If you are shy, you probably know how frustrating it can be to try and make friends. This is particularly true if you have to move to a new school or town and you don’t know anyone. Thankfully, some excellent ways to make friends when you are a little shy will work no...

Defiant Teen Behavior Lying and Stealing

Defiant Teen Behavior Lying and Stealing

Rarely do you meet a person who never tells a lie. Even the best of us may stretch the truth when serving our needs. Children and teens will often tell lies to get themselves out of trouble. It can become frustrating when a teen starts to act out, be defiant, and...

Summer Fun Tips for Tweens

Summer Fun Tips for Tweens

There’s nothing quite like the excitement of the end of the school year. For parents, it can mean fewer mornings rushing around and fewer afternoons ferrying kids to an assortment of activities. For students, it means a long summer of fun stretching ahead of them...

You May Also Like…

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

Your email address will not be published.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