Another positive aspect of conflict is that it helps a child learn how to stand up for himself.  How else will he learn how to say “No” when he needs to, or “That’s just not right,” or, “I don’t agree with that.”

So, how can you effectively manage conflict with your teen in a way that maintains a solid relationship while at the same time honoring the household rules?

First, it involves agreeing with them in some way, while holding your ground in regard to enforcing the rules  Let me share with you one of my favorite words when it comes to managing conflict; the word is, “nevertheless.”

Sweetheart, I’m aware your friends think this is a great movie, and they may be right, nevertheless…our rule for that is that we don’t go to R-rated movies.

Darlin’, you may have merit for being upset and I’d probably be upset too, nevertheless… our rule is that everyone in our family is required to be respectful of one another, even when we’re angry.

Son, I’m sorry you don’t like the new curfew rule. I didn’t either when I was a teen, nevertheless… our rule is that curfew is midnight.

Handling conflict in a more intentional way sends your child the message - “Honey, I love you and I understand why you feel the way you do, but we’re still going to live according to our household rules. If you choose to disregard the rules, consequences will follow.”

You see, I believe conflict doesn’t have to separate us. The word, “nevertheless” acknowledges your teen’s angst or viewpoint, while at the same time reaffirming - these are our rules, and if you choose not to follow them, these are the consequences. 

Rather than leaving your child to wonder about the consequences, determine and communicate them in advance.  How else can the teen properly choose?  They can’t.  They need to be able to say to their peers, “If I do that, I’ll lose my car for a month,” or, “If I’m late now, my curfew will be even earlier for a month.”

But you’d be surprised at the number of ways parents avoid enforcing consequences.   Make it a rule for yourself, if nothing else — the consequences I’ve communicated to my teen will be enforced, one way or another.   Get some outside help with structuring the consequences if you need it.  And, always present,  a united front with your spouse.

Some parents haven’t taken the time to set up and communicate household rules and consequences, or they just assume that their child knows where the line is that they shouldn’t cross.  For them, I’ve developed a handbook and complete home kit for setting up a system for discipline.  You can see it online at www.heartlightresources.com. 

Beyond the normal rules and boundaries for curfew and chores and such, there should also be some rules you may not have thought about. For instance:

1. We MUST Spend Regular Time Together

Your relationship with your teen needs time to develop in a way that moves beyond entertaining them or simply providing for them.  Require a one-on-one weekly breakfast or dinner to spend some time developing your relationship.  Make it a rule - we will go out and eat together once a week.  “If you don’t show up, you owe me $25.  If I don’t show up, I owe you $100.”

2. Everyone Listens

Some of the best advice I give Moms is encompassed in a simple mandate: Keep Quiet!  Instead of always nagging, correcting, cajoling, or critiquing - just be quiet.  Look for opportunities to lead into a discussion where you can ask your teen to explain their point of view, their solution to a problem, or how they arrived at a conclusion, then allow them to talk. Don’t try to correct their thinking - just let them talk.

Some parents just need to zip it.  They need to turn the table and allow their teen to ask questions for a change.  Teenagers today need to know someone will truly listen to them and not judge them for what is said.  So sharpen your own listening habits, and your teen’s may grow as well.

The point is, make your home a place where everyone listens and enforce it as a rule. 

3. Lighten Up!  That’s an Order!

Some families need to learn to laugh together.  So, make it a rule to do something wacky together every week.  Play paint ball. Pull some stunts. Unexpectedly, take everyone to a motel with a pool and a game room for the night. Watch some really funny movies together, or have a water balloon fight on the lawn.

Parents today take themselves and their teens way too seriously, at times.  Let your kids see just how goofy you can really become, and make it a goal to make someone in your family laugh every day. Bring some fun things into your home, be impetuous, and smile a little more.

4. Our Rules Will Be Periodically Reviewed

Like “sunset laws,” rules need to be reviewed from time to time to see if they are still appropriate for the age of your children. An extreme example is, “We must hold hands crossing the road.” Now, that was appropriate for little children, but not teenagers. Likewise, a rule such as “curfew is 10 o’clock” for a 12-year-old may be obsolete for a 17- year-old. 

Taking time to communicate to your teen the rule that have changed shows the teenager that you value the idea of having rules and you will make them appropriate for them.  Nothing undermines rules, even in society, more than when they are totally inappropriate, like some of these wacky laws:

In Hartford, Connecticut, it is illegal to cross the street walking on your hands.

In Memphis, Tennessee, it is illegal for a woman to drive a car unless there is a man either running or walking in front of it waving a red flag to warn approaching motorists and pedestrians.

In Washington, it is illegal to drive an ugly horse.

In Youngstown, Ohio, it is unlawful to run out of gas.

By the way, some rules never change and these are the kind of rules that apply to all family members, including the adults. They generally have to do with the values you hold dear, like: respect, morality, family observances, faith, common decency and societal laws. 

A Relationship that Doesn’t Stop

Your teen needs the kind of relationship that doesn’t stop even if they overstep the boundaries (and there will be times when they do).  At all times, keep reminding your teen: “There’s nothing you can do to make me love you less, and nothing you can do to make me love you more. In other words, to do something wrong won’t end our relationship. I will love you just the same regardless of your actions, but that doesn’t mean I won’t enforce consequences for breaking the rules. ”

What your child wants more than anything else is to have more freedom, while also having a solid relationship with you. A wise parent will give their teenager rules and boundaries and offer them  opportunities to choose. Should they break the rules in their search for more freedom, their freedoms will be further restricted, or the opposite of what they sought by breaking the rule. And if they  consistently make right choices, then they also need to experience their freedoms expanding. In any event, your relationship remains rock solid and unwavering.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, national radio host, and the founder of Heartlight, a residential counseling opportunity for struggling adolescents, which houses 50 high schoolers. Learn more at http://www.heartlightministries.org or call 903-668-2173.

SUMMER READING SPECIAL! 

Get all three of Mark’s latest books, including the newest release, “What’s Happening to My Teen?”  

LEARN MORE >>

Teenagers go through normal turmoil in their emotions as they mature. Most handle adolescence without behavioral problems, but for others this time of life can be very stressful and confusing to them.  And their desire to be accepted by their peers can get them into all sorts of trouble.

Every day I hear from dozens of parents around the country who share how their once normal and happy child is now dangerously spinning out of control — abusing drugs or alcohol, lying, stealing, cutting, or engaging in other destructive or disturbing behavior. Their teen’s behavior disrupts their entire family, and causes the parents to wonder about their child’s future and worry about their safety.

Based on our experience with thousands of struggling teenagers over the years, we’ve developed the Troubled Teen Assessment Tool.  As a first step, this helpful evaluation can help the parent determine if their teenager needs help. If you feel that your teen is on an unhealthy downward spiral, take a few moments to complete this assessment.

Just rank the symptoms you are experiencing, on a scale from 0 to 5 depending on their severity.  Circle the appropriate number on the scale. And ask other family members to do the same, then compare notes. You’ll either find that your teen is exhibiting somewhat normal adolescent behavior, or that he or she needs immediate help.

THE TROUBLED TEENAGER ASSESSMENT TOOL

1.  Our Family is Under Stress from Our Teen’s Behavior

Your teen refuses to abide by anything you say or request, leading to a constant high level of stress and conflict in the home as a direct result. Your stress meter goes up whenever he or she comes home or walks into the room.

 0—-1—-2—-3—-4—-5
Never….Often….Always

 2.  We’ve Seen Changes in Our Teen’s Motivation

Your child is displaying markedly different motivation from what has been normal. For instance: sleeping far too little or far too long, extreme forgetfulness, over aggression and explosiveness, depression, an uncaring attitude, anxiety or sadness, grades slipping, hating what they once loved or loving what they once hated, or spending too much time alone.

0—-1—-2—-3—-4—-5
Never….Often….Always

 3.  Our Teenager is Increasingly Disrespectful and Uncaring

Your child has become increasingly disrespectful, dishonest, or disobedient, openly displaying rebellion, no longer hiding his or her feelings or caring about the consequences, living only for the moment and not caring about the future.

0—-1—-2—-3—-4—-5
Never….Often….Always

 4.  We See Significant Rebellion or Defiance from Our Teenager

The teen has developed a blatant ignorance or profound rebellion toward your boundaries and rules of the home. This may appear in passive aggressiveness or open defiance that is unusually excessive for your child.

0—-1—-2—-3—-4—-5
Never….Often….Always

 5.  Our Teenager is Threatening and Acting Out Troubling Behaviors

Your teen is making veiled or outright threats of suicide or engaging in self-mutilation, eating disorders, cutting or other self-destructive activities. Or, he or she participates in excessive risk-taking, dangerous drug use, or blatant sexual promiscuity.  The teen’s once healthy conscience or moral compass is seemingly lost.

0—-1—-2—-3—-4—-5
Never….Often….Always

6.  We Also See Him/Her Mistreat Others

Your teen treats people, pets, or belongings in a threatening or out of control manner. You have to hide or disconnect the internet, telephone, television in order to stop your teen from blatantly and repeatedly using them inappropriately. Things of value are broken or lost by the teen with an uncaring attitude about it. You’ve had occasion to consider hiding your wallet, your keys, and anything having to do with money or valuables out of fear your teen may take them.

0—-1—-2—-3—-4—-5
Never….Often….Always

7.  He/She Has Unusually Selfish or Self-Centered Thinking

Your teen thinks he or she is the center of your family (or the universe), shows blatant disregard for other family members’ time, feelings, schedule, or possessions. Manipulation or threats is used as a tool to get what he or she wants.

0—-1—-2—-3—-4—-5
Never….Often….Always

8.  Our Teen Refuses to Participate with the Family

Your teen refuses to participate with or have anything to do with the family, or displays a growing hatred for the family. There is constant conflict between the teen and one family member or another.

0—-1—-2—-3—-4—-5
Never….Often….Always

9.  We’re Seeing Extreme Peer-Dependence and Peer Attitudes

Peers have become the center of your child’s life and it is seemingly impossible to keep your child away from them.  You see your child adopting their attitudes and taking on their appearance, their talk, and their activities. Your teen stays up most of the night taking phone calls from friends, instant messaging them, or sneaking out to be with them.

0—-1—-2—-3—-4—-5
Never….Often….Always

TOTAL SCORE: ____________ (0-45)

Assessment Scoring:   If your assessment score totals 30 or more, counseling is recommended.  Please act swiftly to find a good local counselor specializing in teen behavioral issues, or meet with your pastor or youth pastor to lay out a game plan.  If your teenager ever shows signs of drug or alcohol abuse, eating behaviors, cutting, or has threatened suicide, take immediate action, for they will not get better on their own and every day that goes by will make it harder for them to get past such behaviors.

Our passion at Heartlight is to provide parents with counseling and resources to help them deal with a defiant teenager and otherwise get through the often difficult teen years. Outside of our residential therapeutic program for teens, one of the resources we’ve developed is the Home Edition of our Dealing with Today’s Teens video training series.  It is designed for the parents of rebellious teens. Learn more about it online at www.markgregston.com.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, national radio host, and the founder of Heartlight, a residential counseling opportunity for struggling adolescents, which houses 50 high schoolers. Learn more at http://www.heartlightministries.org or call 903-668-2173.

No matter how good a parent you are, there are forces at work in our culture that can  send your kid spinning off in a direction that you could never imagine. It’s a culture bent on undermining the values you have tried so hard to instill into your teen’s life.

Should you ever wonder if your teen’s troubles have something to do with what you did or didn’t do as a parent, remember this: There are no guarantees or perfect formulas in parenting! Every parent who raises several children will struggle with one adolescent or another. 

Most of the kids who have ever come to live with us at Heartlight were from great Christian homes, with loving and caring parents.  Some were from the families of well known Christian leaders. They were just as shocked as you are that their child took a turn away from them, from God, and from everything they hold dear.

So, it’s a mistake to believe that Christian families are safe. Christian kids are as susceptible as any other. But I can guarantee you that God loves your family as much as you do, and more, and there is hope. There is a way through the difficult teen years, and there are tools that we have developed to deal with difficult teens. While it can be hard work, it is worth it.

Perhaps you’re going through a difficult time with your child and you’re trying to find the meaning of “What just happened?”  Or you wonder if you’ll ever make it to the other side.  Or, maybe you see something coming and you want to prepare yourself.  In all of this, I say, “Don’t quit!”

• Don’t quit — when your efforts to intervene in your teen’s terrible choices fail.
• Don’t quit — when family harmony disappears, and everyone is on pins and needles.
• Don’t quit — when it is 3am and you have no idea where your teen is, or what to do next.
• Don’t quit — when you have to enforce consequences for improper behavior.
• Don’t quit — when your teen says he hates you or threatens to run away.
• Don’t quit — when you simply can’t live like this anymore.

What do I mean by saying, “Don’t quit”? I mean, don’t give up your parental role. Don’t try to befriend your teen instead of parenting them, and don’t ever give in to their disrespectful or self-destructive behaviors.  It’s hard being in the leadership role, but that’s exactly where you need to be, for in the absence of leadership, there is anarchy.

In the midst of your darkness, God will come in the light of
time with a promise of His presence and companionship.

Whatever your situation, you need to understand that God is still there…He hasn’t abandoned you.  When there is confusion and darkness, God is still there.  He promises to turn your “ashes into beauty,” “sadness into joy,” and “mourning into dancing.” These are not empty promises.  They are truths about God that reflect His power and they reveal His ability to help those facing difficult times. They are for parents of teens who are struggling through things they never thought they would.   

Your relationship with your teen several years from now and for the rest of their life may be affected by how you handle their struggles right now, so don’t quit, and don’t forsake your relationship or your love for them, no matter how they act. Ask God for help, rest in His presence, and again, don’t ever, ever quit.  And if you’re ever tempted to quit, please call us. We’ll help you work through it.

Mark

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, national radio host, and the founder of Heartlight, a residential counseling opportunity for struggling adolescents, which houses 50 high schoolers. Learn more at http://www.heartlightministries.org or call 903-668-2173.

Resource Specials:

NEW! HELP AT HOME:  The home edition of the Dealing With Today’s Teens seminar is now available for $79.95.  Learn how to handle difficult teens, develop effective boundaries, rules and consequences, and get your home under control. Taught by Mark Gregston on video (DVD).  LEARN MORE >>

40% OFF THE CHURCH SEMINAR KIT:  The small group/church edition of the Dealing With Today’s Teens video seminar kit is for a short time 40% off.  Get it for your small group or church!  LEARN MORE >>

It’s natural for parents to believe that trouble can be avoided by keeping their teenager always in sight, by fixing their every problem, and by generally keeping them under their control.  But I’ve learned that teens mature quicker when parents take steps in the early teen years to give up some of the control they have over their teen’s life.

Learn to Let Go!

Do you have the habit of picking up the slack, covering all the bases, answering all the questions, solving all the problems, and making everything easy for your teen? If so, you might not be doing your teenager any favors. Instead, you may just be keeping your teenager immature, dependent and powerless.

If you want your child to grow up, and he’s reached the teen years, you may have to learn to let go. You may have to get out of the way. It boils down to one very simple concept — the best way to empower your teenager is to share the power you’ve always had over him, allowing him more and more power and responsibility for making his own decisions.

Hold Them Accountable

Responsibility becomes an internal life force when parents empower a child to make decisions, line out their options, define the consequences, and then let them choose.

If your teenager is fully capable of doing well, communicate that belief to him by giving him more freedoms. Fortunately, most teens want to take control of things in their life — so let them. As you back off, let your teenager know they will be given even more freedoms if they handle the first steps well. And make it clear that you will remain in the role of the enforcer of consequences, should they break the rules. Such consequences could include losing some of their newfound freedoms and losing some of your trust.

Then, let them make their own choices, and also let them bear the full responsibility for those choices. Line out their options, define the consequences for bad decisions, and then let them choose. Don’t rescue them  by not enforcing consequences for their poor choices. And equally as important, don’t forget to congratulate and reward them for making good choices!

The Power of Empowerment

As you learn to let go, your teen’s expectations will shift away from leaning on you to run their life and fix everything for them (including their mistakes), to the understanding that they are the ones responsible for how things turn out. They’ll surely make many mistakes before they begin to understand what good decision-making looks like. And they may even try every trick in the book to get you to rescue them out of their poor choices. But don’t do it!  Hold them responsible, just as they will some day be held accountable as an adult.

Give Them Something to Be Responsible For

Teenagers don’t become responsible or learn to think more maturely by accident. They learn from being in situations where responsibility and maturity is expected and modeled. That’s why I highly recommend to parents that they get their child into a part-time job throughout the teen years, and particularly one that is service-oriented. Probably the biggest mistake of schools today is when they keep kids so busy with after school activities, that there is no time for a job in which teens can learn responsibility. Outside of what Mom and Dad are expecting of them, nothing can teach a teenager about life and making a livelihood than a job can, whether they need the money or not.  Kids who get their first job after they graduate from high school are at a disadvantage and have a lot of catch-up to do in the area of maturity.

The right job for just a few hours each week can be a perfect training ground for a teenager, teaching people-skills, money-management, time-management, and even helping the teenager determine what she does or doesn’t want to do after high school. Skills learned on a part-time job can also help the teen appreciate their education and encourage them to seek more education after high school so they won’t have to continue serving hamburgers, washing cars, or being a lifeguard their entire life.

When to Take Back Full Parental Power

Now, let me address the family dealing with a teen who is already spinning out of control or is addicted to drugs, alcohol, sex, or other harmful substances or behaviors. This situation is entirely different. In this day and age, a child choosing to self-destruct or to live a dangerous lifestyle could end up in serious trouble, or could even die. In this case, empowerment shifts back to the parent, who must intervene and retake decisive control, since the teen’s lifestyle is actually controlling the teenager at this point.

An old Jewish proverb says, “Don’t meet troubles half-way.” Give it all your attention now, or it could take more than you can give later. And you’ll be powerless when they become an adult.  Take whatever measures are necessary to ensure his safety and do it now. It is up to you to create a solution, such as counseling or substance abuse treatment. And you, too, will need to surround yourself with good counsel and a group of godly friends who are willing to pray with you and encourage you.

Then, with a plan in hand and with all the power you can muster, communicate this message: “Honey - we love you.  Nothing you do or say will make us love you any less, and nothing you do or say will make us love you any more.  But we are not going to live like this anymore. Since you are not making the right choices on your own, here is what will change in your life, as of today…”  And then stick to your plan.  There’s nothing that will ruin your future ability to get such a teen back on track than to not follow through the first time.

Small Bumps Are Temporary

When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child: but when I became a man, I put away childish things.– I Corinthians 13:11 (KJV)

Maybe you are just having some small bumps in the road with your teenager. Let me assure you, most immature behavior is just that — immaturity.  They will grow out of it as they mature and as they come up against the consequences for wrong decisions.  And they’ll mature more quickly if you empower them to take on more responsibility for their own life.  Give them ample opportunity to make errors in judgment early on, when you still have some control over them in your home.

Letting go doesn’t mean backing off completely.  It simply means allowing the teenager to make more and more decisions on their own, and to have more and more freedoms.  When they make mistakes, or overstep your household boundaries, it is still a parent’s responsibility to dole out the consequences as a means of discipline, which will prevent them from making the same mistake again and again.  For that is how teenagers learn.

So, what have you done today to encourage and empower your teenager to put away their childish immaturity?

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, national radio host, and the founder of Heartlight, a residential counseling opportunity for struggling adolescents, where he lives with 50 high schoolers.

Here’s why . . . just as self-awareness begins to grow in the early teen years, adopted children can begin to struggle with the who and why of their adoption at this time — even kids who were adopted at birth.  Feelings of abandonment by their birth mother can burst to the surface and add to an already emotionally charged adolescence, fueled by a search for meaning, belonging, and validity in their life.

Many adopted children question their true identity during the teen years. For the mortified adoptive parents, their teenager may demonstrate a profound and shocking lack of appreciation and even a temporary hatred of them. So, the obvious question from these parents is, “What have we done wrong?” My answer to them in most cases is that they have done nothing wrong.

As with every teenager, they are trying to find their own identity and to accept themselves for who they are. They are seeking to be comfortable in their own skin. But adopted teens have the added burden of figuring out, “Why did my birth-mom give me up? What was she really like? What was happening in her life at the time? Who am I really? Was there something about me she couldn’t accept? Who and where are my biological extended family members? Do I look like my dad? Do I have any biological brothers or sisters?”

Almost one third of all the kids who have ever come live at to our Heartlight residential counseling program have come from adoptive families.  The questions listed above, coupled with the extreme need for belonging, a knowledge of origin, and a feeling of being different, can lead this child into a world of innapropriate behavior, even when they were raised with much love and support from their adoptive parents.

At Heartlight, we daily counsel bewildered and broken adoptive parents who are surprised by the intensity of the struggle with their adopted child, which suddenly sprang up with the onset of the teen years. We help them realize that no amount of love and nurturing might have prevented the problem, and we encourage them to walk with their child during this difficult time. 

We teach parents that their adopted teen is facing a specialized set of challenges, and it requires a willingness to hang in there, even in the face of rejection.  We also tell them that most teens work through this phase after a few years and come out on the other side unscathed, if their adopted family sticks with them and loves them unconditionally.  

Other Reasons Why Adopted Teens Struggle

High-Risk Pregnancies

Some domestic adopted children come from high-risk pregnancies with the birth mother having drug or alcohol addiction problems, poor prenatal nutrition, or may have lacked adequate medical care. These problems may not be known to the adoptive family, or even to the adoption agency, for that matter. Even if it is known, sometimes it is either overlooked or entirely forgotten once the child is home. The result of a higher-risk pregnancy is that the child may come pre-wired with Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD), an emotional or psychological disorder, or exhibit extreme impulsivity and emotional detachment. These effects of a high-risk pregnancy usually don’t show up right away, but become evident over time, and may come full-bloom during the teenage years.

A Lingering Sense of Wonder

Adopted children also struggle with how life may have been different, had they not been given up by their birth parents. Questions are swirling in their minds, like: “What was my name supposed to be? What genes will I passing along to my own children that I don’t know about? Where are my parents today? How would my life have been different if they had kept me? How does my coming into my adoptive family affect their biological children — do I disrupt the family just by being here?”

Certain Celebrations May Trigger Difficult Behavior

If an adopted child is feeling a keen sense of identity loss, then the adoptive parents need to understand that certain holidays like Mother’s Day, Father’s Day, a birthday, or celebrations like a baby dedication or baptism may prove especially tough to manage. These events can trigger emotional outbursts or other difficult behavior.

What Can Adoptive Parents Do?

Keep in mind that it’s not wrong for an adopted teen to struggle through these issues, nor have the parents necessarily done anything wrong to cause the teen’s behavioral issues. It is just how life is sometimes. Instead, the parents can see it as an opportunity to respond in a Christ-like, selfless manner, just as they did the day they signed the paperwork at the adoption agency and took their adopted child home.

I believe that God is the ultimate adoption authority. He places children with parents for specific reasons. God may have given you the child He did because He knew that he or she would need you for just such a struggle. So, be assured that He is also prepared to help you handle it. And just as He, our heavenly parent, restores us, so we are to love, nurture, and restore an adopted child through love and understanding.

I trust that just by knowing that difficult behavior is not uncommon for adopted kids during their teenage years will help you deal with it in the right way. Don’t take it personally. It isn’t a slap in the face (though you may be slapped in the face). It isn’t teenage rebellion (though that could be mixed in as well). And, it isn’t that they don’t appreciate or love you. It is something only they can fully understand, and your role is to continue to love them while remaining their parent. Giving up that role or trying to “fix” the problem with “things” or avoidance will only add to their confusion.

Most of all, what your adopted child needs is stability in your home, understanding, and time to work through these issues, coupled with your love and support. They need you to remain steady while their world turns upside down.  Be assured, everything will right itself before long.

If you think that I am discouraging adoption through these cautions, that cannot be further from the truth. I believe in adoption and I applaud every family who makes this selfless commitment. But I also want adoptive parents to understand the issues that can come up for a short period in adolescence, so they aren’t caught off guard and feel rejected or otherwise respond in the wrong way.

Most of all, I believe that God’s thumbprint is on the life of every child, and that includes every adopted child. Restoration comes from the knowledge of an adopted child’s unique challenges in the teen years, and that will make all the difference in our response.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR: Mark Gregston is an author, speaker, national radio host, and the founder of Heartlight, a residential counseling opportunity for struggling adolescents, where he lives with 50 high schoolers.

——————————————————————————————–

Mark’s daily podcast on iTunes (no cost): 

NEED MORE HELP FROM MARK? Join us for the next Families In Crisis Conference for parents of struggling teenagers. The next retreat, taught personally by Mark Gregston, is June 18-20. Click here to learn more >>

DEALING WITH A DIFFICULT TEEN?  The new home edition of Mark’s video seminar is now available. Click here to learn more >>