Letting Anger Go (7-09-2009)

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SCRIPT:

It can be tough for parents when they’re dragged into dealing with the consequences of their teen’s misbehavior.

Parents quickly learn that their teen’s misbehavior can usher in consequences for them as well.  I’m talking about the time and financial involvement of outsiders like counselors, police, lawyers and judges.

It can be hard for a parent to take when their teen’s poor choices cost thousands of dollars or get the teen expelled from school.

Even so, scripture teaches us to forgive, saying “Forgiveness is a never ending well of continuing grace and mercy.” 

Hand out the appropriate consequences, they’re necessary.  But be sure to let go of your anger.  Don’t break your relationship with your teen, no matter how much it costs in time and money.

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Moms and Dads of Teens (7-08-2009)

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SCRIPT:

Parents play different roles in helping their child find a sense of significance and security. 

Moms instill a sense of value in a child, and dads tend to validate it. Moms show care and concern, and dads tend to show approval.

Moms sometimes over-engage and over-protect and nurse the relationship along. Dads tend to disengage and disapprove too quickly, or throw up their hands and quit when they don’t know how to fix it.

When a mom or dad is absent or incapable of delivering the proper sense of value, a child will seek validation from wrong influences.  That’s why it’s important to be available and to build your relationship with your teen, but also balance it with the right kind of input from both mom and dad. 

Focus on the Teen’s Heart (7-07-2009)

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SCRIPT:

Scripture encourages me to look at things in life with the eyes of my heart, and not just with the eyes on either side of my head.

We can become so focused on solving a teen’s behavioral problems that we forget the needs of a teenager’s heart.  

Parents anxious to help a teen through a tough time would do well to consider the condition most teens are in these days - weary, anxious, confused, burdened, and often feeling alone or unaccepted. 

Sometimes the best thing to do is simply remind your teen that you love them, no matter what.  In fact, tell them there’s nothing they can do that will make you love them more, and there’s nothing they can do that will make you love them less.

SUMMER SPECIAL ON MARK’S BOOKS! Get all 3 of Mark’s latest books for $30. Order Here >>

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

Teen Peer Pressure (7-06-2009)

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SCRIPT:

A 104-year-old woman was asked the benefits of living so long.   She smiled, and with a twinkle in her eye she replied, “If you are 104, there’s no peer pressure!”

Peer pressure is something teens experience every day. Peers can lead a teen down the wrong path, but parents can exert just as much pressure and motivation for the teen to keep on the straight and narrow.

With just the right amount of parental pressure, a teen can learn to recognize dangerous suggestions of their peers and exercise self-control. With strong boundaries in place, rules that makes sense, and incentives for making right choices, a teen won’t have to be 104 years old to avoid the negative effects of peer pressure.

Letting the Rope Out (7-04-2009)

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WEEKLY HALF-HOUR PROGRAM SUMMARY:

Parenting teens is risky business. Moms and dads go from having complete control . . . to letting the rope out for their child.

Special Guest: Terence Rolston.

At-Risk Teens (7-03-2009)

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SCRIPT:

One of the biggest mistakes I see parents make is waiting to get help when they realize their child has a problem with drugs or alcohol.

The National Institutes of Health identified early risk factors for drug and alcohol use, including: neglect, abuse, conduct problems, depression, anxiety, exposure to family violence, family history of alcohol or drug use, and a disrupted family structure.

If your child has any of these risk factors and is exhibiting signs of alcohol or drug abuse, or has had a major change in personality, don’t wait to get him tested.  Every day of delay will cause the problem to get worse and it won’t go away on its own.  Seek treatment now, before a problem of youth becomes a problem for life.

Sober Schools for Teens (7-02-2009)

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SCRIPT:

Each year more than 2 million teens need professional treatment for alcohol or drug addiction. 

Parents with adolescents in treatment programs for drug or alcohol addiction worry that their teen is at risk for relapsing when they return home. The familiar friends, schools and neighborhoods where dependence came about in the first place still exist. 

One new solution is a program called a sober school, or recovery school, where a change in environment and a program of support helps students make serious efforts to maintain sobriety after participating in a treatment program.  Sober schools exist in many communities, and may even be part of your school district.

Rules for Household Rules (7-01-2009)

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SCRIPT:

What are the most important rules in your home? Are these rules supported by the values you hold dear?
As teens grow in their reasoning, they need to know the meaning behind the household rules. If the reasons are appropriate, so are the rules, and your teen will be more likely to follow them. Rules wihtout meaning are most likely to be broken.

So, make sure the rules for teenagers in your home are a reflection of your deeply held values and beliefs — like respect, honesty, obedience, caring for others and following God’s mandates. If you can’t think of a good reason for a rule to exist, then your teen won’t think it is necessary to follow it either.

For more on the topic of household rules, read my blog article this week at http://www.markgregston.com.  Or, listen to last week’s half-hour program (click here) on the same topic.

Get Help from our FAMILY RULES AND CONSEQUENCES KIT:  MORE >>