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Involve your teenage children when you’re setting expectation
By Lauren Glendenning
Brought to you by the Healthy Futures Initiative
As children learn, grow, explore their independence and face consequences for their choices, parents can manage the stress by having strategies in place for how to deal with difficult situations. In short, raising adolescents doesn’t have to be so challenging.
In Summit County, where the resort town atmosphere can normalize party culture, it’s especially important to talk to your children about marijuana and other drugs, sex, alcohol and other subjects that may be uncomfortable. Therapists and parents agree that it’s also important to give your children some freedom as they march toward adulthood. Here are some ways to strike the right balance.
Start difficult conversations early
Many parents often wait to have uncomfortable conversations when in fact these talks should happen early and often. Broaching subjects like marijuana and alcohol use before they ever become disciplinary issues helps establish an open dialogue while the stakes are lower and the child isn’t on the defensive.
“You want to talk about these topics normally and naturally,” said Gemma Taylor, a licensed clinical social worker at Summit Community Care Clinic, which works in collaboration with Summit School District. “If you’re …read more
Via:: Summit Daily