Troubled Teens Need Authority to Have Bite
Jane Close Conoley talks about the toxins in our environment that go a very long way towards contributing to a host of teenage ills, including teen age drug abuse and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder.However, besides too much junk food, the toxins are mental and behavioral in nature and are within the parents’ power to eradicate - if only they had the will.
Methods to eradicate mental and behavioral pollutants from teens at risk, however, require a parent to make the choice to be present and active in the teen’s life and to also make their authority something to be reckoned with. Take one of the toxins the writer says needs cleaning up - communication.
“Bad communication: Any trip to a store, beach, or playground will provide a listener with many examples of parents saying threatening, demeaning, or ambiguous statements to children. Reciprocally, these same trips often expose children saying sarcastic, challenging, and disrespectful comments to their parents with no consequence. Many parents seem to have lost the will or confidence to say yes or no and mean it. They resort to threats and promises to cajole obedience and they almost never follow through on either.”
Who could disagree? Parents can’t expect respect if they don’t render it and don’t teach it. When parents moan about the time their teen is online or in front of the 52′ screen, you almost want to shake them and shout “TURN IT OFF”. What happened to a parent assuming their role as commander-in-chief? Since when do you negotiate with a teen over critical issues? When are you going to stop? Read more on combating behavioral toxins at the link above.
Relevant Tags:attention deficit hyperactive disorder, disrespectful comments, obedience, teen age drug abuse, teens at risk, teen age
