How to Keep Your Teenager Out of Trouble and What to Do If You Can't

by Bernstein, Neil I.

• ISBN13: 9780761115700
• ISBN10: 0761115706
• Format: Paperback
• Copyright: 2001-09-01
• Publisher: Workman Pub Co

Summary

The teenage years are tough-for kids, and for parents. Many teenagers are grappling with a slew of overwhelming emotions, and the results can range from not wanting to be seen with a parent in public to reckless and destructive behavior that can destroy a family. Parents despair as a child becomes a sullen, defiant stranger. A clinical psychologist who's spent more than two decades bringing families back from the brink, Dr. Neil I. Bernstein knows how to help parents and teens successfully navigate these difficult and trying years. Thoughtful, clear-eyed, comprehensive, and refreshingly free of jargon, HOW TO KEEP YOUR TEENAGER OUT OF TROUBLE AND WHAT TO DO IF YOU CAN'T helps parents identify whether their teens are exhibiting typical behavior-such as locking themselves in their room for hours-or are exhibiting real danger signs, such as being secretive, despondent, or constantly angry. And then he tells what to do about it. The focus, above all else, is effective communication: how to avoid threats and put-downs, offer clear explanations, stick with the issues at hand, negotiate, improve listening skills, ask relevant questions, and stop interrogating or lecturing. Throughout, Bernstein uses examples from his practice to tell specifically what to do and say. There is sample dialogue to keep discussions from becoming arguments; signals that parental efforts are actually working; and Skill Builders that give parents the tools they need to ensure their teenagers leave home as responsible, moral adults.

Author Biography

Dr. Neil. Bernstein is a practicing clinical psychologist, writer, and lecturer. He lectures frequently around the country to groups of parents, school counselors, and mental health professionals and has been a consultant to schools, clinics, and psychiatric hospitals

Table of Contents

Introduction	vii
How Teenagers Get into Trouble	1	(34)
Who's in Charge Here? Setting Limits for Your Teen	35	(48)
Building Better Relationships Through Better Communication	83	(54)
Helping Your Teen Develop Good Self-Esteem	137	(35)
Strategic Parenting: Promoting Independence, Good Judgment, and Impulse Control	172	(47)
Don't Let Them Leave Home Without Empathy and Morality	219	(44)
Resisting Negative Peer Pressure	263	(34)
Sex, Drugs, and Rebellious Trends	297	(72)
Helping Resolve Your Teen's Problems with School	369	(50)
Dealing with Defiance and Antisocial Behavior	419	(49)
Desperate Times, Drastic Measures	468	(33)
A Final Word	501	(1)
Appendix: Resources for Parents of Teens in Trouble	502	(5)
Index	507