Help for Parents of Struggling Teens

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New Leaf AcademyNew Leaf Academy
Do you fear your daughter is growing up too quickly? Even young children are constantly exposed to confusing messages about how to act and who they should be. As a parent, you may feel overwhelmed by the many influences competing for your child's attention. At Leaf Academy of Oregon, your daughter will benefit from our educational philosophy that seeks to develop the whole person: socially and emotionally as well as academically. Through the Star Steps Program, girls learn to accept rules and responsibility for their behavior. They develop a sense of self and strong boundaries that will help them make the right choices as they move into adolescence and young adulthood.

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Parents Should Help Teens Through Emotional Break-ups

A new study from the Menninger Clinic suggests that adults can help teens recover after emotional break-ups.

"Some relationships may seem so intense and so necessary that teenagers harm themselves when the relationship ends," said Dr. Norma Clarke, a child psychiatrist who led the study.

The most vulnerable teens are the ones that spend all their waking hours with their boyfriends or girlfriends, who sleep if that person is not around, and who stop seeing other friends.

"If your teen falls off the deep end and you have a sense that you are losing control of him or her, you need to intervene," Dr. Clarke said.

She said parents should talk over the situation with their child. She believes it is okay to monitor Internet usage and to "stay abreast of changes made to your child's MySpace or Facebook pages. Trust your instincts if the messages or content seems out of character and discuss this with your child."

Dr. Clarke also advised, "Be alert to cutting or other self-harm behavior, such as your teen no longer wearing short-sleeved clothing. Keeping an open line of communication ... is more welcomed by your child than may be apparent. I don't think parents realize the impact they have on their teenager's behavior."

Get more advice and tips for parenting teens at ByParents-ForParents.com.

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