School is out, a time when kids across the country rejoice. As a parent, you find summer to be a challenge. It’s a struggle for you to connect with your teen. You feel like a gap is growing between you and you’re not sure you can build a bridge across such an immense distance. The prospect of two months when you will not know where your child is during the day is daunting. You have to work, yet you are afraid you can’t trust your teenager to stay out of trouble while you are away. It’s time to take action before life spirals out of control.
Have a Heart to Heart
Begin at the source of the problem. Sit down with your child in a non-confrontational manner and discuss goals for the summer. Suggest a job or a program at the community center. If your teenager is going to be at home, keep the lines of communication open. Make it clear that you will be checking in often and that your child can contact you at any time. If you still have doubts about being able to trust your child, you need a support system. Enlist the help of neighbors, family members, and friends for suggestions to occupy your teen. Most importantly of all, you want to make sure your child stays out of trouble.
Seek Counseling
If you have a stormy relationship with your child and find yourself dealing with anger or resentment, talk to your child’s physician about counseling services. Intervention could be a solution for you. Sessions should be directed at your child and you. At times, you will meet together to work through issues that are creating conflicts. You will also meet on an individual basis to unlock the key to a better relationship with your teenager.
Consider a School for Troubled Youth
If all else fails, it may be best to send your child to a supportive environment that is removed from all negative influences, including peer pressure. Whether your teen goes to a school that focuses on troubled youth or attends wilderness therapy programs, help is available. With professional intervention in the right program, you can bring your child back to you. It is possible to turn a life around. Seek guidance from the experts, people who focus on young adults who need help getting their lives back on track.
