Parenting Resources For Difficult Teens

Parenting Resources

Parenting is a tough gig, and it can get even tougher when your child is in their teenage years when raging hormones and crushing social pressure make “normal” a moving target. You’re going to need some resources providing straight talk on the pleasures and pitfalls of raising a healthy adolescent. Fortunately, a number of websites do just that. We’ve listed 4 of our favorite parenting resources below.

If your teen is struggling with serious mental health or behavioral issues, you may want to consider sending them to a residential treatment center for troubled teens. Early intervention can do wonders when it comes to getting a young life back on track.

1. Aha! Parenting

AhaParenting.com is an information-rich site offering advice on raising kids of all ages. You can click on tabs directing you to articles regarding tweens, young teenagers 13 to 15 and older teenagers aged 16 to 18.

Created by a clinical psychologist, the focus of Aha! Parenting is positive parenting. Proponents of positive parenting set rules and consequences and engage in follow-through when rules are broken. Putative measures, however, such as yelling and corporal punishment are avoided.

If you have a troubled teen on your hands, it can be tough to avoid shouting matches. Still, keeping the lines of communication open is crucial.

Aha! Parenting gives great directions on specific topics, like how to talk to kids about alcohol, as well as more general guidelines.

2. Raising Children

As the URL indicates, raisingchildren.net.au is an Australian site. Don’t worry, though. Just because it’s produced Down Under doesn’t mean this resource will upend your parenting style. It has quite a bit of valuable advice for those in the thick of raising teens ages 12 to 18.

One of the best aspects of the Raising Children site is that there’s a whole section dealing with mental health. There are articles on detecting and dealing with issues like teen depression and anxiety and an array of troubling behaviors.

The tone of the articles, such as one on when your troubled teen engages in self-harm, is pitch-perfect. Rather than being alarmist, it stresses that it’s normal for young people to have strong feelings that are difficult to deal with. At the same time, it highlights the seriousness of rituals like cutting, encouraging parents to intervene early and seek professional support for their struggling teens.

3. Raising Teens: A Site For Parents Of Teens Striving For Sanity

Can you keep a level head while raising your teen? It’s enough to make a parent feel lost at times, but the Raising Teens blog provides a pretty good roadmap.

Created by mom bloggers Cindy Goodman and Raquel Alderman, the Raising Teens blog has a conversational tone and addresses topics that will sound eerily familiar to anyone raising a teenager. Posts cover everything like relatively benign but crazy-making teen behavior like “earphone silence” as well as more serious problems like what to do if your teen is smoking pot.

4. Your Teen Magazine

YourTeenMag.com is a comprehensive site on navigating the teen years, from your child’s first day in middle school to the moment they leave the nest.

Many of the articles cover little-discussed topics, like the very real problem of boys developing eating disorders. Eating disorders are typically seen as something affecting only girls, but many troubled teen boys also engage in unhealthy behaviors like food avoidance, excessive exercise and purging.

This article—and others on the site—are solution-based rather than just anecdotal, providing warning signs as well as direction, in this case scheduling an evaluation for your son as soon as possible.

The above resources can provide significant guidance when it comes to surviving those tumultuous teenage years. Sometimes, however, a family can find themselves in a situation no mere article can address.

If your son’s issues are threatening his future and wreaking havoc on your home, you may want to consider sending him to a boarding school for troubled teen boys. Spending time in a safe place that offers therapeutic and academic support can help a teen in crisis move onto a bright future.

Request Free Admissions Information

Step 1 of 3 - Your Contact Info

Written by Natalie

29 Oct, 2018

Recent Posts

Pets for Teens Improve Mental Health

Pets for Teens Improve Mental Health

Mental health issues among teenagers have been steadily rising in recent years. According to the National Institute of Mental Health, mental health disorders amongst teens have risen steadily over the last decade.  As parents, it is natural to be concerned about our...

Comparison Culture and Teen Mental Health

Comparison Culture and Teen Mental Health

Navigating the social landscape of high school while maintaining good mental health can be challenging for teens in today's comparison-focused culture. A recent study found that over half of teens report feeling anxious or depressed due to constantly comparing...

Teenage Anxiety on the Rise

Teenage Anxiety on the Rise

Teenage anxiety is on the rise with statistics showing more young people than ever struggling with feelings of stress, worry, and fear. According to recent surveys, over 31.9% of teens report experiencing anxiety symptoms regularly, and around one in five teenagers...

Handling a Disrespectful 13 year old

Handling a Disrespectful 13 year old

Parenting a teenager can present challenges even under the best of circumstances. However, dealing with disrespectful behavior from a 13-year-old takes effective coping strategies and guidance. This post will explore understanding the root causes of disrespect,...

Natural Methods to Manage Teen ADHD at School

Natural Methods to Manage Teen ADHD at School

Managing attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in teenagers can pose unique challenges in a school environment. With the demands of academics, extracurriculars, and social interactions, it’s important for teens with ADHD to have effective coping strategies....

Helping Teens Cope With Teen Anger and Rebellion

Helping Teens Cope With Teen Anger and Rebellion

Teen anger and rebellion are common challenges faced by many parents with teenagers. Approximately 64% of American teens experience problems managing their anger. If left unaddressed, intense anger can interfere with school performance, damage relationships, and even...

You May Also Like…

0 Comments

Submit a Comment

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