Effective Troubled Teen Programs
|
|
Not all parents subscribe to the notion of "tough love," which is used so extensively in many troubled teen programs. Some parents want their children close by and want to avoid placing their troubled teen into an environment that may build even more resentment and anger. For these parents and troubled teens, behavior modification programs are a good starting point. In behavior modification programs, appropriate behavior is reinforced and rewarded and inappropriate behavior is confronted and redirected, with consequences given.
This may be as simple as drawing up a contract with a teen that outlines the rules for the household and identifies the consequences ahead of time if the rules are broken. The rules and consequences must be fair and consistently administered by both parents. A contract is a viable option for teens who are just beginning to misbehave due to a lack of structure in the home for routines, chores and expected behaviors.
For troubled teens who need assistance over and above what their parents can give, outpatient therapy programs may be a viable option, especially for teens who are already committed to recovery. These programs offer a variety of treatment options, including individual and/or group counseling, family counseling, or substance abuse programs. Although outpatient programs can be very beneficial, they are usually relatively short-term, and are not designed for teens with severe emotional or psychiatric problems.
Another option is to enroll a troubled teen in a day treatment program. This type of program is designed for teens who were unsuccessful in an outpatient setting. These teens often struggle with emotional and psychological issues, and are an option for troubled teens who need intensive therapeutic support but who do not yet require a residential environment.
Troubled Teens Info provides detailed information on schools, programs, camps, and homes for troubled teens. Troubled Teens Info is the sister site of Relationships Web.
|
|
|
Classic Parenting: Encouragement, Praise, Acceptance, And Responsibility
Encouragement comes when you focus on your child's assets and strengths in order to build his/her self-confidence. It comes from seeing the positive. Even failures can be outstanding learning experiences. Encouragement sounds like this, "I like the way that you did that," or "I know that you can do it," or, "It looks like you worked very hard at that."
Encouragement is NOT giving compliments for work poorly done, but under those circumstances it IS inspiring your child to work harder and do better. "Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up, according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen." -St. Paul...(related: Parenting)
Watering Your Young Child?s Mind
Mary, Mary, quite contrary,How does your garden grow?With silver bells and cockle shellsAnd pretty maids all in a row.It's an everyday nursery rhyme, it's simple to sing with your small child, and apparently this nursery rhyme about a little child watering her garden is watering your little child's mind!Early childhood educators have identified pre-reading skills that are necessary for the learning of readi...(related: Parenting)
Spelling Games
The following spelling games can be used by parents to reinforce spelling in children:SPELLING GAME 1: USE BOARD GAMES, SUCH AS MONOPOLYPlay any game that is normally played with dice with the child -- Monopoly, for example. The parent can continue to move her token forward in the normal way by throwing the dice, but the child must orally spell a word to move forward.To select words that can be used, the parent can use words from the child's schoolwork that he often misspells. She must make word cards of these words. It is best to use not fewer than 2...(related: Parenting)
Top 20 Items To Pack In A Diaper Bag
1. Diapers (5 -7 is a fairly safe supply)2. Wipes3. Cream (like Desitin, A&D ointment, Vaseline)4. Baby Powder5. At least one bottle of juice or milk6. A few jars of baby food7. At least one clean outfit8. A few bibs9. A few cloth diapers to clean up spit and other spills10. Items to entertain your baby (rattles, books, toys)11. Baby thermometer12. Teething rings13. Biter biscuits or similar type of crackers14. Medicine ...(related: Parenting)
Sometimes Our Childrens Questions Answer Our Own
I was changing Ford's diaper the other day when he asked, "Mom, will we always have Tanner?"Tanner is the family dog, and at twelve-years old, her health is quickly deteriorating."No, Ford," I said gently, "we won't always have Tanner. She is old, and she won't always be with us.""But if she's not with us," he asked, "who will have her?"Ever since I became a mother 4 years ago, I've been preparing myself for the tough questions-Why am I here? Where do babies come from? Who shot JFK?-but I admit I wasn't ready for life's greatest question in the middle of a diaper change.I answered carefully. "Ford, when someone is no longer with us, they go to live with Jesus in Heaven."A tear made its way down Ford's cheek as he said, "Well, I don't want an...(related: Parenting)
Misplaced Passion
"Before every action, ask yourself: Will this bring more monkeys on my back? Will the result of my action be a blessing or a heavy burden?" --Alfred A. MontapertIt's that time of year again. Plans are underway for end-of-year recitals, end-of-year concerts, and end-of-year teacher appreciation brunches. I'm in the midst of them, getting ready for violin book graduations, three orchestra concerts, and a middle school graduation. The high school has already phoned asking for my contribution to Teacher Appreciation Day.These are exciting times, but unfortunately they can also be times of unnecessary stress. One reason: misplaced passion.One of the things brought to my attention over and over again in my ROCKET MOM! seminars is the ...(related: Parenting)
Sibling Fighting - Reduce Sibling Rivalry By Not Keeping Score
Recently, a much-anticipated game of mini-golf with my children soon turned into a disaster. There were smiles all round as we hit off from the first tee but the enjoyment factor was reduced to zero as my children's smiles were replaced by tears, put downs and whining.The source of all this angst was the scorecard. Or to be more precise competitiveness over the scores. The pressure was on my eldest to make sure that his younger siblings did not turn in a better score than he did. The game was going disastrously for him and it appeared that a thrashing from a younger sister was imminent. And the youngest was reduced to tears as her score didn't quite match her expectations. I felt my blood begin to boil as the family activity disintegrated amongst the tears of a poorly-performing daughter, the put downs from the eldest and the whining...(related: Parenting)
Communication Mistakes Parents Often Make - And Easy Ways To Correct Them
As parents, we love our children and want to do the best for them. At times, however, the pressures of living every day create stress and distractions for all of us. We can easily fall in...(related: Parenting)
Help My Preteen/teenager Is Driving Me Nuts!
Do you feel like someone has abducted your sweet, innocent child and replaced them with a monster? Are you confused that somehow you have gone from knowing everything as a parent, to knowing absolutely nothing? Welcome to being a parent of a preteen/teenager. It is a brave new world. Being a preteen/teenager is difficult and being a parent of one is difficult as well. In this article, I will address just a few of the many "normal" aspects of adolescence and how to survive as a parent.I have been a therapist for over 18 years now and have seen hundreds of adolescents. If I had a dollar for every time a parent said to me, "If I talked the way my kids talk to me when I was a child I wouldn't be able to get off the...(related: Parenting)
Children - Blessing Or Curse
You're trying to catch up on some sleep on a quiet Saturday morning when you hear the shrill scream of a child, who seems upset with the fact that another child is pointing at him or her, and has done so for the past three minutes. You turn over and hope that they will resolve it without your intervention?but that's unlikely, given their past.The screams get louder, and now it's two children instead of one. A few seconds later, one stops screaming and the other starts crying. You hear the pattern of foot steps running across the hall, and cli...(related: Parenting)
The Real Dangers To Kids Online And How To Avoid Them: Top 5 Internet Safety Tips
The Real Dangers to Kids Online and How to Avoid ThemDid you know
- 1 out of 5 kids has been sexually solicited online
- 1 out of 4 kids has been sent a picture of naked people or people having sex online
- that May 21, 2002 there was the first death of a child linked directly to an Internet Predator?
Protect Your Kids Early With Safety Glasses
What exactly makes safety glasses different from regular glasses? There are several reasons glasses will be rated as safe. They must not only cover the front of the eyes but also the top and sides as well so small particles can't enter the eye. You can find inexpensive s...(related: Parenting)
site-map - Copyright © 2006 | Contact Webmaster | Baby Care Info | All Rights Reserved. | Parenting