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Parenting a teenager should come with some sort of medal of bravery. Certain teens can be nothing short of a nightmare due to rebellious tendencies or friends that are bad influences. Other areas a parent can be less strict on like length of hair or an extra piercing in the ear. Areas that could impact your teen’s future are the aspects of their behavior that you need to focus on. The wrong few choices could ruin their life for the foreseeable future or lead to incarceration/death. Be proactive if you see problems on the horizon for your teen as this can help prevent further issues. The following are areas of your teen’s behavior that you need to focus on as their parent.
Your Teen is Sexually Active
Your teen being sexually active can be one of the most infuriating things a parent can find out. This is not something that you need to tolerate in your home but education on safe sex is imperative. High school sex education is a joke due to restrictions put on school boards by various groups/laws. Do not skip out on the sex talk due to being uncomfortable as it is something that needs to be done. The parent that is the same sex as the teen is usually going to be given the responsibility of entering into this awkward verbal engagement.
The Dangers of Driving
The dangers of teen driving are not just limited to your teen but the others that are on the road with them. You will know if your teen is ready to drive safely rather than recklessly. The chances of a teen being involved in an accident are the highest out of any age demographic. There is a chance that your teen is hit by another person that is at fault. You need to take legal action if your teen has been injured. The right personal injury attorney can allow them to be compensated for their pain and suffering. If you want to learn more about legal steps to take from experts click here.
Substance Abuse Issues
Substance abuse impacts nearly every type of person whether they are a star athlete or the valedictorian. Regardless of how well your teen does in every facet of their life, you need to be aware of their behavior. Do not overlook the signs of inebriation or being high. Addiction can develop quickly with a teen trying to hide their problem to the best of their ability. Counseling combined with meetings like Narcotics or Alcoholics Anonymous can work wonders. Doing a room search a few times a year if no signs are present will just help confirm that nothing unsavory is going on with your teen.
Technology Addiction
Technology addiction is far more common than many people think and it can dominate a person’s life. Social media addiction has been well-documented in the last couple of years. Likes and comments on a post have impacts on brain chemistry much like the way that alcohol or drugs would. Video game addiction and pornography addiction are also pervasive but mostly in teenage boys. You will be able to see how much data is being used when your teen is not at home which can indicate they are on their mobile device constantly.
Grades are Suffering
Failing classes could be an indication of other issues with your teen whether it is depression or bullying at school. Doing poorly in school can dictate your teen’s future. College is not a requirement to be successful but keeping this option open is important for your teen. Problems with authority can be extremely serious when they develop during the later teenage years. Issues with people in positions of authority could end up leading to problems with the police. Employees that constantly clash with a boss usually jump around from job to job due to being difficult to work with.
Arrested on Serious Charges
Being arrested on serious drug charges or for something like a DUI can hurt your teen’s immediate future. Many employers will not even consider a person with a DUI in the last decade. Nobody wants to hire a person that has potential substance abuse issues or has been arrested for theft. Colleges often revoke admission due to arrests by incoming students before their enrollment. Pick the right attorney for representation as they could potentially have the charges dropped, expunged, or lessened. For substance abuse-related arrests many lawyers will have their client enter into a program. The completion of this program can lead to the charges being dropped. This is ideal as your teen will get the help they need and their future will no longer be compromised by the arrest.
Enduring the teenage years as a parent can be tough, focus on the important areas of your teen’s development. Focusing on the wrong things can create issues that could damage a relationship that might take years to repair.
