Just when you think you’ve got this parenting thing down, adolescence creeps up and you find yourself raising a teenager.
It’s a time marked by a dizzying amount of changes, both physical and emotional. Throw in traditional stressors like schoolwork and relationships and add some digital-age complications and you’ve got a recipe for turmoil.
Luckily, there are a number of websites aimed at lending your family support as you navigate the ups and downs of teenage life.
If you are parenting a troubled adolescent and feel you’re both in over your heads, you may need to look beyond basic parenting advice and consider a residential treatment center for troubled teens. A comprehensive program can help your troubled teen address issues ranging from mental illness to addiction to out-of-control anger in a safe and caring environment.
Your Teen Magazine
YourTeenMag.com is a comprehensive site for parents of teenagers, covering topics ranging from your kid’s social life to planning for college.
The site doesn’t shy away from tricky topics like teen sexuality, two words that—when put together—can make any parent cringe. In fact, YourTeenMag suggests the traditional talk about “the birds and the bees” be an ongoing conversation.
There’s an article on talking to kids about the pitfalls of sexting. It may come as a shock, but your teen may be using their phone or favorite social media app to engage in sexually-charged texting. They may even have classmates asking them for nude photographs.
The piece shares advice on how to broach the topic of the dangers of sexting, including teens having their images leaked to humiliating effect or potential prosecution for child pornography. This is the kind of frank advice parents need.
Aha! Parenting
AhaParenting.com is a comprehensive parenting site that has sections devoted to parenting early teens, ages 13 to 15, as well as older teenagers aged 16 to 18.
The site was created by Dr. Laura Markham—a clinical psychologist, best-selling author, and mom—and emphasizes positive parenting. The site features articles addressing common parental concerns, such as how you can stay connected to your teen.
It’d be nice if remaining close to your growing-up child were easy. However, between busy schedules, the hormonal storm of adolescence and your teen’s growing need for independence, your relationship can come to feel like a stand-off. Fixing this common problem can involve steps as simple as grasping opportunities like car rides to talk to your teen.
Parent Insider
ParentInsider.com covers a wide array of situations you may encounter while parenting your teen. There are even some articles your teen would benefit from reading.
For instance, there’s a piece on what do do when you aren’t over-fond of your teenager’s girlfriend or boyfriend. It gives strategies to discuss what a healthy relationship should look like without lapsing into confrontation, prompting your teen to dig their heels in even further.
Parent Insider also has an article helping teens learn how to turn down date invitations and romantic overtures in a way that’s both polite and assertive.
Raising Teens: A Site For Parents Of Teens Striving For Sanity
The description of the Raising Teens blog may sound like an oxymoron. Who can remain in their right mind while raising a teen?
Really, though, this site—co-created by mom bloggers Cindy Goodman and Raquel Alderman—offers helpful advice on a wide variety of topics. These include issues like:
- Should you use a phone app to track the whereabouts of your teen?
- What’s the proper balance between letting your teen play video games—an increasingly social activity—and making sure they get to important stuff like homework and sleeping?
- How do you keep your teen from exploding or imploding from the stress of final exams?
Each of the above sites offers food for thought, providing ideas and resources for the countless challenges that may come up during your child’s teenage years.
In some cases, your teen’s turmoil may have reached such a crisis level that you only wish you had to deal with garden-variety adolescent issues. If you feel your son is at risk of harming himself or derailing his future, a stay at a residential treatment center for troubled teen boys may be the best way to help him reboot his life, moving forward to a promising future.