Real Life Advice For Teens And Their Parents

Today’s guest Dr. Wes Crenshaw on Parent Choices for Struggling Teens shared with Lon and his co-host, Larry Stednitz, some of the dos and don’ts, and no nonsense advice parents are looking for in dealing with their “angry teenager”. The number one thing parents need to do; Dr. Wes says “don’t take it personally! And I know, it is easier said than done, he jokingly added, but truly, it is important to learn deep breathing, try to tune out the negative and keep your blood pressure low”.

One issue discussed on today’s show was the differences in the culture today’s kids are dealing with.  Today’s young adults are more like teenagers and more of them are not able to launch ‘till their early 20’s, which concerns parents about their kids not going to college. The old fear of “if you don’t go now…you’ll never go” has parents worried, which led into a great discussion with Lon, Dr. Wes and Larry on Gap year kids and what kind of student/teenager would benefit from taking a year off before attending college, or doing some other post High School training. Kids who don’t want to go to college-right out of high school would do good having the extra time, perhaps involved in community service, going on mission trips during this time or taking a job would get them ready for school. Another option or interim solution for these kids is enrolling in a community college, where they can still live at home, yet have their feet wet with college. The third group of kids to benefit is those Dr. Wes calls the “horror show of high school”, those who did not do well in school, have low self esteem and just had a really negative experience in school. A gap year can be very good choice for these kids, and can save a lot of money due to the high college dropout rate.

Technology and media exposure are also high on the list of cultural differences teens today are dealing with. There is a broader exposure to more adult content, more widespread damage for bullying occurs with the use of technology and gives the bullies a freedom of movement. As Dr. Wes puts it “media no doubt makes it easier to get your ‘mean ‘out there. With reality TV and movies, it is important for parents to take the time to talk about the behind the scenes reality….that the shows are filmed to be extreme. “It’s just too easy to sensationalize anything on TV”. Rather than have your children want to emulate the people they see on TV, Dr. Wes stressed that parents are the most influential person in their teenager’s life. “Parents need to wisely pick the battles they want to fight and to wield that influence carefully. As a teenager, the whole job they have is to differentiate themselves from their parents, while additionally, for parents, this is the time you want your child to emulate you, regarding family values, honesty and trustworthiness which really is quite the paradox.”

To listen to the full interview on Real Life Advice for Teens and Their Parents go to http://www.latalkradio.com/Players/Lon-060412.shtmlon LATalkRadio.

 Lon Woodbury is the owner/founder of Woodbury Reports Inc. and www.strugglingteens.com. He has worked with families and struggling teens since 1984 and is the host of Parent choices for Struggling Teenson LATalkRadio Mondays at 12:00 Noon, Pacific Time, Channel One.

Larry Stednitz Ph.D. is an Independent Educational Consultant and an affiliate of Woodbury Reports. He is located in Moro Bay, California and co-hosts some of the Parent Choices for Struggling Teens Internet Talk Radio Shows.

Dr. Wes Crenshaw, PhDhas been working with families for nearly 20 years as both a clinical and forensic psychologist. Having received his PhD from the University of Kansas in 1994 and his license in 1995, Dr. Wes has founded an internship for doctoral students in Topeka, has founded the Family Therapy Institute Midwest and served as its director until 2010, in order to pursue his writing career, to develop his forensic psychology practice and to work with clients more directly. Dr. Wes is the author of ‘Dear Dr. Wes: Real Life Advice for Teens’ and ‘Real Life Advice for Parents of Teens’, in addition to his co-authoring a weekly published column ‘Double Take’ currently running in the Monday GO! Section of: The Lawrence Journal World.

This segment was sponsored by Spring Ridge Academy, 928-632-4602, www.springridgeacademy.com, a Therapeutic Boarding School for Girls in Arizona.

Woodbury Reportswas founded in November 1989, by Lon Woodbury, MA, IECA, CEP, as an Independent Educational Consulting firm to help parents of teens making poor decisions select a private, parent choice program that would help return the family to normalcy.  Through interviews with parents, communication with professionals who know your child well, and then thoroughly researching viable options, we can help parents make the right choices that will help your child get back on the right path.  For more information about Woodbury Reports Inc., call 208-267-5550, or email to [email protected]or visit the web site www.strugglingteens.com.