Rebel, Rebel: Reconciling Your Past With Your Teen’s Present

By: ParentingTeensOnline (View Profile)

  • Have the times-have-changed talk. Times are very different now than they were 30 to 40 years ago. It used to be legal to drink at 18; now it’s not. Drugs are a lot more potent now than they were then. And there are sexually transmitted diseases today, including HPV and HIV, that were never dreamed of when we were growing up.
  • Listen to your teen. Her remarks will give you an indication of what she’s thinking, and you might find that she isn’t taking half the risks you think she is.

 

Additional Resources


Organizations


Books

Taffel, Ron. Breaking Through to Teens: A New Psychotherapy for a New Adolescence. Guilford Press, 2005.

Articles

Parental disclosure from the perspective of late adolescence. Miller JB, Stubblefield A. J. Adoles. 1993 Dec;16(4):439-55.

Parenting styles and adolescents’ achievement strategies. Aunola K, Stattin H, Nurmi JE. J Adolesc. 2000 Apr;23(2):205-22.

 

Written by Anthony Bruno

[Article is reprinted by permission from ParentingTeensOnline.com]

 

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posted: 09.04.2007
Lara London
You're right--it isn't 'cool' to be your child's friend rather than his parent. I remember my dad trying to fit in with my older brother and sister and their friends and actually partying with them once--encouraging drinking and smoking. He didn't realize how damaging it is for kids who start to abuse drugs at 16 yrs. Even if he did it and turned out ok, that doesn't mean others will be so lucky. High school is hard enough--it's nice to have role models or people to turn to who can help you say no or find other ways to deal with the stress.
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