Troubled Teens Resources

Teen crisis intervention begins at home. It begins with committed and aware parents willing to be “proactive instead of reactive” in their teenagers’ lives. It is becoming clear that too many parents either give tacit consent to their teen’s drug or alcohol experimentation, or simply take too few measures to monitor their teen’s activities.

Unfortunately, it is often too late when responsible parents discover that their teen’s friends are parented by irresponsible parents.

A new program for troubled teens designed to unite the efforts of committed parents is being launched in a small community in Maine. Teens at risk are, unfortunately, being regarded as “at risk” at younger and younger ages.

“The community has to do a better job of reaching these kids when they’re young. That’s why Phipps is rolling out a new program called SafeHomes, designed to begin the drug and alcohol conversation between middle school students and their parents.

Parents sign the SafeHomes pledge, agreeing that they will not permit their child to hold underage drinking parties nor will they provide alcohol to minors. In addition, they agree that their name, phone number and address can be printed in a community directory of safe homes — hence the program’s name. If anyone in the SafeHomes community sees your child drinking or holding such a party, they agree to give you a call and let you know. You’re expected to do the same.
[…]
She said the new program gives parents an opportunity to “set guidelines and expectations early on. It allows parents to be proactive instead of reactive.”

(source)

Accredited and professionally staffed schools for troubled teens will have curriculum and behavioral programs that address a variety of teen problems. Two of the more important lessons driven home to these teenagers are accountability and consequences. Teens at risk who do not learn to own their mistakes and pay for them are destined to continue along the same destructive course.

These are lessons that used to be taught at home, and still are by responsible parents. A simple example follows. A mother has to pick up her son at 3:00 AM from a drinking party busted by cops. That is when she realized her normally “good kid” was flirting with danger.

“The teen’s mother took immediate action, grounding him.

“I put him on restriction,” she said. “I took away his car and only let him use it for work.”

The woman said her son is a good student and had not been rebellious in the past, but her frustration is that “all you can do as a parent is teach your kids what’s right and hope your kids make the right decisions.

“It’s pretty hard (to stop them from drinking) unless you ostracize them from their friends, and you can’t really do that,” she said.

“As a parent, we just have to instruct (kids) that what they decide can negatively affect the rest of their lives,” she said. “You have to help them see the future beyond the next party.”

The woman said her son is now headed in the right direction — he’s going to college this fall.
(source)