troubled teens :: Better Parents, Better Families

Post tagged with troubled teens

When Your Teenager is Out of Control

April 30th, 201002:09 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

For parents, there is no worse feeling than watching your child spin out of control while nothing you do seems to make any difference. If your teenager's behavior is giving you feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, and fear, I would like to offer you some suggestions. First, stop what you are doing and start a new way of thinking in regard to ho...
The Answers Adopted Kids Seek in the Teen Years

November 13th, 200905:05 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

When an adopted child enters the adolescent years and their thinking transfers from concrete to abstract, they might begin asking that unanswerable question, "Why did my mother give me up?" At a time that most kids are trying to "find themselves" and form a concept and understanding of who they are and who they are not, the adoption card in their d...
Never Give Up Parenting a Difficult Teen

October 23rd, 200912:33 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

If you're dealing with a wayward teen, you know how relationally fatigued, emotionally beaten up, and personally worn down you can get. In fact, you may right now be thinking, "I've been pushing against this wall forever...I just can't do it anymore." But let me encourage you to never give up...keep parenting, even when the going wi...
Teen Struggles Can Lead to Marital Struggles

October 15th, 200904:13 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

Have you ever thought how hard a crisis with a difficult teenager can be on your marriage? Really hard! It can even lead to divorce. So, I'd like to discuss some proactive steps that husbands and wives can take to fight against this tendency, since it needs to be something they are aware of as they are dealing with a struggling teen. Aft...
Fired By Your Teen

August 04th, 200911:41 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

"You're fired!" are two words we never expect to hear. That kind of feedback conveys a message to the ears of the one receiving it that says; "You're no longer worthy. You're a failure. We don't need you anymore. You didn't do well. You didn't make "the mark." You are a loser. You are wrong. You can't do anything right. We're better off without you...
Adoption Issues in the Teen Years

July 30th, 200902:17 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

Most adopted children that I've worked with have one question on their minds in the teen years that is frankly unanswerable. That question creates a void, especially during adolescence. And that question is, "Why was I abandoned by my birth-mother?" Here's an interesting statistic...over 40% of our teen residents at Heartlight, our ...
Don't Ever Quit on Your Teenager

July 23rd, 200901:01 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

I have seen many parents wonder what in the world happened to their family. They seemingly woke up one morning to a teen who completely changed overnight. Their loving, kind and thoughtful kid is now a person they no longer recognize. It is easy for them to feel they are not prepared for all of this, but who is? No matter how good a parent you are...

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