[riversled]

We hear in the news media about drug use, rampant sexual exploits and failing academics amongst teenagers. Schools are struggling to keep classrooms a learning environment. Many teachers who enter the teaching profession full of hope and caring are quickly disenfranchised when working with disrespectful, unruly teenagers with no apparent desire to learn.

What is a Troubled Teen? Is it a student with ADHD? Is it a student who struggles with depression, anxiety, eating disorders, drug use or sexual aggressiveness? Maybe the student’s parents divorced, or maybe the student has been abused, struggled with relationships or fails to find purpose in life?

There are millions of students each year moving from childhood through adolescents and on into adulthood. I would bet that the overwhelming majority of them deals at some point with one or more of the problems listed above. Yet, not all students are labeled Troubled Teens. In fact, I would bet that most adjust and deal with the issues just fine and go on to become well-adjusted, productive members of society.

But those who don’t adjust, who continue to spiral out of control, what about them? Are they simply “Bad Apples” with a rotten core? Are they too smart for society or too creative or simply non-conformists? Should parents and society in general try to address some of these issues or just leave it alone? Are there more troubled teens today than a generation ago, or is it simply a perception? Are teens more ill-mannered than a generation ago, or is it simply a perception?

I’m interested in others perspective.

[QueenAngie]

Very interesting questions you are raising.

Any teen can make mistakes (just as any adults).

The issue can be caused to a number of possibilities:
whether it be through impulsivity,
niavity,
or on purpose to gain a means towards a specific end.

As a parent, we work diligently to
help them make the best choices,
giving them a firm foundation of
morales,
knowledge,
faith,
good judgement,
with a sound conscience.

There are cases where teens come from the
very worst family/household scenarios without any advantage
and turn out to be great, productive adults.

There are also cases where teens come from
the very best family/household scenarios
with every advantage possible
that turn into criminals, bad citizens as adults.

Is it genetics?
Is it environment?
Is it parenting?
Is it drugs?
Is it a physical problem?
Is it a mental health issue?


By and large, teens on any given day,
even 'good teens' can make a bad judgement, a bad decision.

As parents, we do the very best we can to raise our
children to become independent, productive, and happy
adults.

[browneyes01]

Is it genetics?
Is it environment?
Is it parenting?
Is it drugs?
Is it a physical problem?
Is it a mental health issue?

these days it has a little to do with everything. I believe all of these factors plat a role.

[riversled]

When I was young, I was diagnosed with Asthma. It was mostly seasonal and exercised induced. My parents could have coddled me and made accommodations for my "illness". They could have written me notes to not be involved in P.E. or tried to keep me indoors during the Spring.
No way...I was encouraged to play sports, baseball, football and basketball. All of which was physically exhausting. I would hunt and fish and put up hay in the fall. Yes...I had asthma attacks. I also had appropriate medical care so I could "manage" this physical ailment and continue to be a young, energetic, resilient kid!
Yes, Asthma is a pain sometimes, but never have I let it keep me from experiencing what life has to offer. My identity as an adult has nothing to do with the fact that I have Asthma. But how many kids today "Identify" with the fact they are hyperactive, depressed, have anxiety or are different in some way? How many kids have a learning "Disorder" of some kind and immediately adults rush to their aid with IEP's and Accommodations. Sure, these are necessary in most cases and equate to me having appropriate medical care for my Asthma, but ARE we also teaching these students resiliency? Are we teaching them that yes, it may suck to have that particular problem, but that is not who you are?!!

[Samual]

It depends as well as what you think of as troubled, the original poster mentioned sexual exploits, for me that is having sex with more than one person, so to me the majority of teens would be troubled if I used that basis.

[ShannonGB]

Well, I'm not entirely convinced that there are children who are born bad. Parenting, up to around 8, would play the biggest role since the family and the parents are the ones who are there most of the time to influence their children. During teens, the parent's role would slightly diminish and the peer group will be of greater influence since the teen would probably spend most of his time at school. The parents are the ones who would lay the foundation for their kids belief and principles and the peer group would be responsible for reinforcing or weakening these beliefs and principles.

This may sound too convenient and ideal but I guess I'm saying, if the kid had been brought up properly from the start, everything will turn out alright. He may occasionally make mistakes, but those will be something he can learn and recover from.

[stevecov]

I think it may have something to do with stress? School applies loads of stress and us as parents also do...but I think more control is to be had, but let them on some leeway but if they misuse this trust it has to be controlled and punished in the correct manner.

[fhaye]

Teens are very expose to lots of things. This is the stage where they explore stuffs that they don't usually do. It is not wrong that your teens explore many things but exploration of it has its limitations and boundaries. So we as parents need to guide their exploration but when you can't control it is more advisable to let her/him be in an residential treatment facility. I think there he/she will be guided to his/her addiction.

[helpfortroubledteens]

Child care and having a parent always around is essential for a teenager to develop and handle the tough situations that life throws at them. They need guidance, they need their parent's leadership.An excerpt from the book says that there has been a large number of children coming home after school to an empty home with no direct supervision. As you can imagine, many problems stemmed out of no adult supervision, and let's remember that the home might only have one parent. With no supervision there isn't any accountability.There are a lot of schools who deals with troubled teens.These schools are a great help for troubled teens.

[dawicker104]

Here are some links on the addiction topic that could be very useful for Troubled Teens.
http://www.drug-addiction-support.org/Teen-Alcoholism.html
http://www.drug-addiction-support.org/teen-drug-addiction.html
http://www.drug-addiction-support.org/teen-ecstasy-abuse.html
http://www.drug-addiction-support.org/Teenage-Alcoholism.html
http://www.drug-addiction-support.org/teenage-drug-abuse.html
http://www.drug-addiction-support.org/Treatment-For-Drug-Addiction.html
http://www.drug-addiction-support.org/what-is-drug-addiction.html