by Renee Morgan

Created on: January 17, 2011   Last Updated: January 18, 2011

The first thing to remember when parenting a difficult teen is that difficult teen is not the only alien visiting the planet earth. So, this would mean that the first thing to do is to find out more about the other teenage aliens that are here.

Ask around, talk to teachers, school counselors, the lady in the bank line or a family doctor, and don‘t forgot mom and dad. Listen to all the information that is thrown into the air waves and see what lands on the residential alien. Parenting of a difficult teen can be extremely hard if there is no knowledge of what is going on with the teen.

Is there bullying at school or in the neighborhood. There can even be a bully at home, a sibling, step-parent or step-sibling. Are there drugs involved or is there some mental breakdown, which needs to be addressed by a doctor. There are some cases where a teen can became difficult from something as simple as not being able to see or hear correctly. There are many reasons for a teen to become difficult, so try to find the reason for it and address it.

Addressing the problem is the second step. Depending on the problem of the teens’ difficulties, there will have to be a choosing of a game plan to use for sending the aliens back.

There will be the need for the use of different forms of love. The most use form is that of tough love. Tough love is use mostly for the alien that has become high in rank, the ones whom are walking the thin line of the point of no return. This is the hardest parenting job, but can be turned around when done in time and with no looking back, meaning to take strong and firm stands. (If there is a need to cry do it in a place away from the alien!)

The shoulder to cry on love is really the listening love. Some aliens will run away fast and hard when a teen is being listened to, because no matter what the behavior, negative or positive, deep down inside all humans wants to be heard. With this type of love it is fine to laugh, cry or both, right there in front of the alien because more than likely this type of love is a sure win for sending the alien running for the hills and the teen to your arms.

Last but not least, remember! Remember what it was like to be a teen!

Remember peer pressure, the first kiss, or that embarrassing moment front of the entire gym class. Remember freshmen year or being the school nerd. Remember being picked on for being good at something or not being able to do something. Remember thick glasses or the limp because of a short leg (yeah, those were the good old days!).

So, come from under that bed and stand tall, run off some aliens and get the teens back on the right track.

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