Troubled Teens Resources

The pure and simple truth of the matter is teen crisis intervention begins at home. Parents, obviously, are a teens first line of defense in protection and education and the inculcating of values.

Parents, however, are increasingly turning to institutions to act as the authority for their troubled teenagers, abdicating their role as teacher and disciplinarian to schools and law enforcement, as if all of a sudden they have been shorn of the basic common sense necessary to raise their teens.

If you think I am exaggerating, listen to this.

“Stacey Leben has fielded calls from parents upset that their children haven’t cleaned their rooms by a certain time and once from a mom mad that one daughter used her sister’s suitcase.
[…]
Parents have called law enforcement when their children won’t go to bed, sit in a car seat and when siblings are arguing.

Lt. Dan Donlin… agreed that parents calling police when their kids get into trouble at home is nothing new…

Though officers should be involved in situations involving violence or danger, authorities stress that parents should call in law enforcement only after they have exhausted all other options of coping with normal child misbehavior.

“If they have a child who’s difficult to control at any age, I think police should be the last resort except in cases of violence,” Leben said.

“For menial behavioral problems, they need to utilize parenting skills,” Donlin agreed.”

(Source)

Parents would do well to step up to the plate and not seek substitutes for their authority. It undermines respect for the law when police are used as a threat or as a baby sitter, but far worse, it undermines the parent’s rightful authority, setting the stage for worse problems down the road.