Or all three, right? It can be hard to tell, but the differences are profound. Guess what: your kids wonder the same thing about you. It can be difficult to determine but there’s a lot you need to know if you have any hope of keeping things from getting worse. If any or all of the above are true what can you do? Do you feel like you’ve tried everything? Hopeless, frustrated, sad and scared beyond explanation? While your kids seem to be laughing at you as they “destroy their lives and future with bad choices?”
I know it looks that way and in some cases is that way. But there’s a lot you can do to keep things sane and survivable. I’ve been working with “at risk” kids for a long time and I’ve learned things books can’t teach you. My ability to get them to change is relatively easy once I get to know them. To be quite honest, it’s often the parents who have trouble changing and seeing the forest through the trees. They think they’ve tried all, when they’ve barely scratched the surface. Parents need to understand that once kids cross 12 to 13 years old you lose the ability to control and are left only with the opportunity to influence. To do that you must have trust, respect and a dozen other qualities you think you have but your kids can’t see in you. When I talk about parents making changes, I’m not referring to “bad” parents who need to learn the basics, I’m talking about good parents who don’t know jack about the current generation and how batcrap crazy they are today (temporarily). How you react and interact can not only keep bad situations from getting life-threateningly worse, but keep good kids from going bad.
When I meet with kids, they tell me what’s really going on; it’s no problem. Then I coach parents with “troubled” teens to get things on track. I honestly have not had one single case I have not been able to improve substantially. If you’re thinking about getting help, please expect to get involved and tell your crazy teen you found a counselor who agrees with them: it’s possible his parents are crazy. Diagnosing a drug, Bi-polar or crazy-teen situation correctly is critical. Diagnose wrong and it can become life-threatening. Calling is free so why not check it out. Read on to the following page 79 for part two of this article.
Scott Spackey is a state Registered Addiction Specialist, Counselor, Interventionist, Life-Coach, Hypnotherapist and Bio-Feedback Technician. For more information, please call 661-299-1966, email: Scott@Life-Mind.com and visit www.LIFE-MIND.com.