Problem Child?

In my office I see parents who are frustrated with their child's poor behavior.  Their child may be getting bad grades, making poor decisions, being disrespectful, etc.  Learning how to discipline a child specifically a teen can be very frustrating.  I rely on Scott Sell's book, "Parenting Your Out-of-Control Teenager" for sound advice.  You do not need to have an "out-of-control" teen to read this book.  My favorite piece of advice from this book is spending time with your child.  Every child (even a teen) wants to feel special.  Spending quality time with your teen will help to build a better relationship with him/her.  Yes, the teen may balk at the idea of spending time with a parent, but you'll see that eventually he/she will look forward to this time.  Schedule a time every week to do something one-on-one with your teen.  Choose activities you can engage in and have fun together.  You do not need to spend money on these activities.  Taking a walk in the park, watching a movie together or even shooting hoops at the nearby school are easy activities any family can participate in.  Once you start doing this, you'll find that your teen will be less defiant and engaging with you more.