Thursday, December 18, 2008

teenage substance abuse

My mother-in-law once offered to take our daughter from us when she was a teen and give her back to us later. It was a tempting offer that we declined.

Teenage is such a rough age. The struggle between finding their own individuality and growing into a normal separation from the family circle is enough of a challenge. Throw in the barrage of media inputs about the good life with drink or drugs and you are putting fuel to the fire.

How should parents deal with their teens?

Communication. It is as easy and as hard as that.

Not just talking about the weather, but good honest open discussions on all the topics of the day will set the framework for appropriate growth and development of the teenage mind.

This has been reinforced in the past couple of weeks with the W.A.S.T."E".D. Information Session at Franklin High School on December 2 (recording and text available here) and the forum at King Phillip Regional High School on December 17 (notes captured here).

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