Troubled teens making waves through defiance

Your troubled teenager’s acts of defiance in school may actually be a tool he/she may be using to get the attention that he/she has been aching for. These acts of defiance may be viewed by psychologists as your teen’s way to make waves amongst a sea of adolescents. He/she wants to stand out. Of course, as a parent you must be thinking, why doesn’t he/she just stand out as the president of the school council or the head of the soccer team instead? But going against the grain on purpose has been observed as time-tested ways that young adolescents have used for years as cries for attention. Suggest other ways to feed your teen’s hankering for attention If you’re sick of your troubled teen making waves at school and being called by the principal or the like to speak in his/her office about your child, maybe it’s time for you to try and suggest other ways for your teenager to get the attention that he/she may be craving from his/her peers. Even we realize when we get older, the importance of the extra-curricular activities that our parents signed us up for when we were young. These activities put us out there and it not only helped our social skills bloom but it enriched us with experiences that only helped to highlight the depth of our character. Encourage your teen to join different activities Once your child reaches adolescence it may not be as easy as it was to sign him/her up for ballet or football practice. But at this stage, as a parent, you can encourage him/her to join a number of different activities that will not just grab his/her attention but bring the attention of others in a positive light to him/her as well. Check out the neighborhood activities and see if there are any ones that suit your teen’s interests. Don’t force your child into it but simply suggest that you passed by the local youth center and saw a flyer about auditions for a new play the town is staging or tryouts for a new sports team. These simple suggestions can help steer your child in the direction of making waves in a positive way. Who knows? He/she may just end up being the talk of the town as the lead role in the local theater or the star quarterback of the local team!

 

start here
Signs of a Troubled Teen Advice for Parents Discipline and Rules Defiant Teens Drug Abuse Teenage Sexuality Mental Health Issues Boot Camps Boarding Schools Wilderness Programs Medication Psychotherapy Options Behaviour Modification Divorce Guide Drug Treatment Center Alcohol Rehab

Parent Login
Please login to use our Parents Forum. Get help and advice from other parents. Username Password Remember me Lost Password? No account yet? Register Share your parenting wisdom.