Boundaries Blog — teenagers

Why Teens Should Get Angry with Parents

Why Teens Should Get Angry with Parents

Adolescents get angry a lot. They live in protest mode, so it is second nature for them to get mad at everything in the world, especially their parents. But some parents are conflict-phobic — they are uncomfortable and afraid of being the object of their teen's wrath, and so they avoid setting boundaries with teens.

However, this teaches adolescents that if they throw a tantrum, they can get out of a limit. Teens who learn this will also have difficulty experiencing healthy adult relationships. To help your child avoid this relational future, you'll want to teach him to accept responsibilities in relationships without having outbursts....

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Raising Kids with an Eye on the Future

Raising Kids with an Eye on the Future

It was a normal day, but one that would forever change my friend's parenting. We had finished dinner, and I (Dr. Cloud) was visiting with my friend, Allison, and her husband, Bruce, when she left the dinner table to do some chores. Bruce and I continued to talk until a phone call took him away as well, so I went to see if I could lend Allison a hand.

I could hear her in their 14-year-old son Cameron's room. I walked in to a scene that jolted me. She was cheerfully putting away clothes and sports equipment and making the bed. She struck up a conversation as if things were normal: "I can't wait for you to see the pictures from our trip. It was so much — "

"What are you doing?" I asked....

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My Teen Is on Drugs. What Can I Do?

My Teen Is on Drugs. What Can I Do?

It's every parent's nightmare: having a teen on drugs. This is not life as God designed it. Substance abuse causes the breakdown of all that is good. Enslavement replaces freedom. Detachment replaces love. Chaos replaces order. Despair replaces hope.

Many young people abuse alcohol and drugs, and this problem is not likely to go away anytime soon. I (Dr. Townsend) can't overstate the danger of substance abuse. It can, and often does, lead to poverty, injury, disease, and death....

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Hope for the Single Parent: How to Overcome Your Biggest Challenges

Hope for the Single Parent: How to Overcome Your Biggest Challenges

If you are a single parent, you may need to know something: you have the hardest job in the world. You have to meet all the needs of your kid, over many years, without the help of a spouse. Some of my closest friends are single parents, and my heart breaks with theirs when they encounter the rough years of parenting. Single parenting can sometimes be brutal and overwhelming. That's why it's important to discuss boundaries for single parents.

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Parenting Teens: 3 Tips for Building a Unified Approach with Your Spouse

Parenting Teens: 3 Tips for Building a Unified Approach with Your Spouse

Are you and your spouse united or divided in your parenting? Consider the following dialogue:

Dad: "You're letting our daughter do anything she wants."

Mom: "You're too strict with her."

Dad: "She needs more discipline and structure."

Mom: "She needs more love and encouragement."

Dad: "She's becoming irresponsible and out of control."

Mom: "She's becoming insecure and afraid."

And you thought kids and teenagers had conflicts! ...

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