Every teenager rebels against authority at some point – talks back, breaks curfew or disobeys. It goes with the territory – it’s normal development. But many teens go beyond normal adolescent rebellion to engage in out-or-control or dangerous behaviour. If one of those teens is yours, you’ve probably lived through years of conflicting advice and pat solutions that haven’t led to lasting change. One source that I have found useful in assisting parents is […]
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Consistent, small rewards for small achievements work much better than large rewards for big goals, especially for younger children. After all, you wouldn’t expect your child to learn to read if you paid him no attention until he’d finished his first book. You would indicate your pleasure along the way. Why set such a high expectation for behavioural self-control? Food and toys are often the first rewards that come to mind, but they […]
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FACTORS THAT FACILITATE SUICIDE – an impulsive personality – neurochemical imbalance – lack of strong family ties – social isolation – family history of suicide – recent suicide of someone else – easy access to method – agitated mental state FACTORS THAT INHIBIT SUICIDE -strong family and social support – being around others – religious taboos against suicide – […]
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CONFLICT AND DISCIPLINE – conflict in a home with a teenager is inevitable – challenge for parents is to balance firmness with support and encouragement -parenting a depressed teen is particularly challenging – “walking on eggshells” – scared of pushing too far TIPS 1. “Pause” button – don’t get sucked into full-scale war – exit & wait – brain dead phrases – reflectors 2. active listening 3. […]
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WARNING SIGNS – depression – previous suicide attempts – suicide of someone close – talking of suicide – preoccupation with death – giving away possessions – saying “Good bye” to family & friends – cryptic statements “You won’t have to worry about me anymore” – listening to sad music – drawing morbid pictures – statements indicating feelings of helplessness, hopelessness, worthlessness – statements about being a burden to others – loss of interest in […]
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