Family Trouble Can Effect Senior Citizens
Family trouble can take many
forms. Solutions also
take as many forms.
There is probably nothing more devastating that having a grandchild in trouble. Grandma and grandpa sometimes become the buffer between the grandchild and the parent. Or they involve themselves in the process of trying to correct the behavior of the child beyond their capabilities. This can sometimes be more detrimental than constructive.
There are several troubled teens, troubled child, troubled parent programs that attempt to correct these problems. Troubled teens are probably the most seen by grandparents. There are many troubled teens programs available.
Here are general tips on getting help for you and your teen. Get the whole family involved. Family stress and turmoil contribute to the problems of teenagers. Teens’ problems add to family stress. The whole family must work together to solve those problems. Ideally, the entire family should participate in counseling. The priority, however, is to ensure that your teen gets help. He or she might first want to meet privately with a counselor and may agree to family involvement later. Be patient. Understand that experienced counselors take their time with young people who enter counseling against their will. It may take a while to develop.
HELPING YOUR CHILDREN NAVIGATE THEIR TEENAGE YEARS: A GUIDE FOR PARENTS
It takes time to develop rapport and a while longer for teens to be ready to make changes. Parents should ask counselors to keep them informed on what to expect and to discuss progress as it is made. Counselors also can help parents understand what to look for in terms of changes and approximately when these changes might occur. If your child is prescribed medication by a physician, be informed about the side effects and possible adverse reactions, and understand that medications may take several weeks to work. Evaluate your counselor as you would any other professional you work with: You should feel good about the person, and you should also get results. Monitor progress. When you are unhappy with progress, talk it over with the counselor. Sometimes parents are impatient and expect immediate results. Counselors should explain their timetable and perhaps point out progress that may not be so obvious. If progress is not being made, parents should ask how the counseling approach might be modified. If the modified approaches don’t work, parents should consider getting a second opinion or transferring to another professional. Be your child’s advocate. Whether you have private health coverage or you rely on public programs for health care, find out what treatment services are covered and for how long. Let your health care professional, insurance company, social worker, case manager and anyone else involved in your child’s treatment, know what you think your child and family need. Make sure you are involved in decisions about your child’s treatment.