Most parenting advice and blogs talk about the trials and tribulations of raising young children, especially in regards to the now-infamous terrible twos. However, what many omit is that the teenage years can be equally as terrible in terms of volatile or unpredictable behaviour – only now they can also talk back to you.
While a little misbehaving is expected during this time (and can even be instrumental towards your teens reaching maturity and discovering who they are), there may come a time when you consider intervention tactics. After all, you don’t want your teenager to land themselves in trouble.
With that in mind, here are some top tips that you can use when parenting a teenager with behavioral issues.
- Understand the root of their behavior. Many problematic behaviors can be explained away by figuring out the root of the issue (i.e. the reason why they may be behaving in a certain way). For most teenagers, outbursts and poor behavior is often due to hormonal changes. Furthemore, “in the early teen years, cognitive control systems lag behind emotional development, making it hard for adolescents to cope with their emotions’. Understanding this will help you to offer better advice and support to your child.
- Set strict boundaries. Setting boundaries for your teenager is another great way to regulate their behavior, due to the fact that it encourages them to understand that there are limits and regulations on how they can (and should) behave. For example, you should discuss curfews, even if they are reaching the latter end of their teenage years and want more freedom.
- Consider alternative schooling. In some cases, when teenagers’ behaviors become particularly difficult to manage, and you fear they could be causing harm to themselves or others, you may want to look into alternative schooling, such as the Alpine Academy. Here, students with a range of complex behavioral issues are given the tools they need to regulate their emotions and behaviors, while also thriving on a personal and academic level. You can find out more by reading some of the Alpine Academy Utah reviews.
- Consider counseling. Counseling could also be a great way to support your teenager during this turbulent time. Not only will it enable them to develop a range of skills they can use to support their mental health, but it can also help them to understand their own feelings and behaviors. This is particularly useful as in some cases, your teenager may be unaware as to why they are feeling or behaving in a certain way themselves.
- Help them find a better outlet for their emotions. Misbehavior is one of the key ways in which teenagers and young children respond when they are unable to regulate their emotions or formulate a coherent response to a situation they find troubling or hard to process. As a result, by helping them to find healthier coping mechanisms, you’ll also be able to get a handle over their behaviors. For example, you could encourage them to sign up to the local gym or participate in exercise, which is a great physical outlet for emotional scenarios.