10 Lessons I Learned Parenting a Troubled Teen

1.Don’t become the enabler. Make your teen responsible for their actions.

2.Be a consultant and not a dictator.

3.Call the police or dial 911 if either you, your teen or anyone else may be in danger due to their behaviors.

4.Let go of your ego, parenting a troubled teen is not for the faint of heart. Many of us are not prepared for what it entails.

5.Believe your gut instinct about your teen. If someone gives you advice and you do not agree or think it is right question it.

6.Set reasonable consequences × Consequences
n. noun con·se·quences The Merriam- Webster dictionary provides the following definitions for consequences: 1.the effect, result, or outcome of something occurring earlier: The accident was the consequence of reckless driving. 2.an act or instance of following something as an effect, result, or outcome. Consequences is a prevalent issue in the life of a troubled teen. Troubled adolescents who suffer from negative consequences, do so because of their poor decision making. Whatever choice a teenage boy or girl decides to make, a consequence of that decision will soon follow. If a teen chooses to make productive choices in life, he/she will reap the benefits of positive consequences. However, if a teen makes poor choices such as, abuse drugs and alcohol, skipping class, hanging out with the wrong crowd or disobeying parents and authority, that teen will reap negative consequences. Negative consequences such as, legal troubles, being grounded from parents, or getting kicked out of school due to inactivity or rebelliousness, are all viable and likely negative consequences a teen will experience if he or she is making poor choices.
and stick to them.

7.Don’t set consequences or threaten consequences that you will not be able to uphold.

8.Don’t be amazed by what you see or hear it is usually true or real.

9.Believe the unbelievable.

10.Confront issues head on no matter how unbelievable or scary they may be for you.