Establishing Mobile Phone Rules for Teenagers

The digital communication age presents some trials when it comes to parenting teenagers. There are times that teenagers forget the value of face-to-face interaction. In addition, they are easily sidetracked when friends send messages. All it takes is one ring or beep from their mobile phone and you can expect them to do nothing else but exchange messages. Though it helps teenagers to stay in touch with friends, parents should establish rules to balance study and activities. Here are some tips to establishing mobile phone rules for teenagers:

1. Restrict mobile phone use in the morning while preparing for school. A reason teens run out of time in preparing for school is the mobile phone. Teenagers will sometimes compete for whom can send the earliest message in the morning; the will also be checking messages that they weren’t able to respond to last night. This will definitely use the time that should be used in preparing for school. As such, it would be advisable to take their mobile phones away from them in the morning and give them back once they are ready to leave for school. This way, they use the time allocated for getting ready for school.
2. Restrict mobile phone use on school nights. If your teens have a tendency to spend so much time late at night exchanging SMS with their friends that they don’t get much sleep at night, it would be a good idea to control the use of mobile phones on school nights. This may be difficult at first, especially if they are not used to getting to sleep early. However, if in the morning, they get up easily and prepare for school, they know they need to sleep more at night and should learn to turn off their mobile phones. If this is not possible, you can also get mobile postpaid services that have parental controls. There are mobile accounts that help parents control the messages that go to their teens’ phones, especially at night.
3. Restrict mobile phone use during dinnertime. If you are a working parent, chances are dinnertime is the only time you get to spend time with your kids and talk to them. Take this opportunity to learn how they are doing in school and be very keen in observing their behavior. Avoid scolding during dinnertime but make it a point that you do not allow the use of mobile phones during mealtime. Explain that they can always check their mobile phones later.

Be aware of the rules in mobile phone use in school. Ask the school administration about their mobile phone use. Chances are your teenager may be exchanging messages inside the classroom while class is going on. This is not a good sign and should be addressed. Coordinate with school officials and teachers so you’d know if the mobile phone use is affecting school performance.

Depending on how disciplined your kids are, most will automatically follow the rules on mobile phones. Most of the time, they fear you may confiscate their phone – as such, they will usually abide by the rules on proper use. The best time to state the rules in the use of mobile phones is before you purchase one for them. This way, they already know the rules before they get hold of their own phones.

Teens Need Support and Guidance

One out of every eight teenagers go through depression at some stage of their adolescence. To some that is a shocking number. But it actually explains why so many teens go through extreme phases of irritability, withdrawal, behavioral issues, or even experience trouble with concentration and academic performance. Identifying depression in a teen is the first step towards getting them treatment.

Teenagers are vulnerable to negative influences and need all the support and guidance that they can get. A well balanced teen within a stable environment has almost unlimited potential. Identifying and treating depression is essential to ensuring that your troubled teenager gets the help that they need to ensure a stable and positive transition in to adulthood.

What are the warning signs of depression in a teenager?

As a parent, it’s important to understand that not all teens being affected by depression will show all of the symptoms, and not all who show similar symptoms are affected by depression. Below are some of the most common symptoms of depression, which should be used only as an indicator, followed by referral to clinical professionals.

• Academic problems like a sudden drop in grades, inability to concentrate, or memory loss.
• Physical symptoms such as lower back pain, general body pains, regular headaches, and unusual fatigue.
• Uncharacteristic rebellious behavior, defiance, and issues with authority.
• Signs of withdrawal from friends and family.
• Poor decision making ability.
• Sadness and anxiety.
• Risk taking behaviors may be shown, such as alcohol or drug use.

The signs are there. How can we be sure, and how do we get treatment?

In the first instance, let your child know what you are observing and that you are worried for their health. A physician or a psychiatrist can interview and assess your child for depression. Depending on their diagnosis, they will make recommendations on treatments.

In many cases medications are not required, and most teens will discover that keeping active and engaged is enough to ward off feelings of depression, depending on how severe their case is. Once depression has been identified as an underlying cause of changes in the teen, it’s much easier for the family to give the necessary support.

One of the best ways that you can help your teen through depression and get them back on track towards a fulfilling and successful adult life, is through a treatment program. At Pinnacle Schools we offer fully integrated therapeutic, physical, and academic programs to help troubled teens through their most difficult times.

The biggest strength of our programs are the group activities and group counselling methods that we employ. Many teens who have been suffering from depression may find it hard integrating back in to normal society. Our group model allows participants to build confidence and regain their ability to integrate within social groups.

Through our specialized counselors, parent involvement, clinicians, and group supervisors, Pinnacle Schools offers programs that will rehabilitate, empower, and prepare your troubled teen for a positive future.

The Pinnacle Schools Reviews Boot Camps

Are Boot Camps Good for Troubled Teens?

If you are experiencing problems with your teenager then it can be very tempting to throw up your hands in despair, make a few phone calls, sign a big check and pack them off to a boot camp.

For some, this is probably the very best thing that you can do when you truly have exhausted all other options. If you have tried counseling and residential programs and nothing has worked to snap your teen out of their bad ways, the truth is that boot camps can be a good idea as a last throw of the dice to get them to shape up.

But for most situations, you are better off to try some less drastic measures first.

The whole point of boot camps is to provide massive leverage for them to change. It shows them that they are not in charge and that there genuinely are consequences for bad behavior. But the problem is that as well as that they also indicate that you as their parent are not really in control. You are trying to smash a walnut with a sledgehammer, and while you may end up with a nut after the hammer-blow, your child will almost certainly be more than a little battered and bruised as a result.

A better next step is generally to explore residential programs which take a more softly-softly approach, but in most cases can have some very satisfying results.

You should look for residential programs where there is a focus on therapy rather than correcting behavior with discipline only. At the end of the day, your child's change needs to come from within them, and no amount of cajoling will change that fact.

At some stage, they need to re-assess their behavior and make a genuine change. If the only prompt for the change is military discipline scenarios, then as soon as they escape and come home many of them will swiftly revert to the way that they were before.

Take time to assess your options and take advice online from other parents who have been in your situation.
"Boot-camping" your teen is not always the best option…

Anger Management for Teens

If you're parenting an angry teen, do you feel you might as well head up a down escalator for all the progress you're making? How about we let you in on a little-known secret? You're getting the silent treatment from your –hostile, sullen, rude, cranky, stubborn – teenager because of fear.

She is no longer a child; he is not yet an adult. They are trying to find themselves, to establish their identity. Teens must deal with getting good grades, competitive sports and peer pressure to try addictive substances.

The teen brain is in flux. The frontal lobe of the brain, the reasoner, decision maker and impulse controller isn't totally connected yet. Recent studies show neural development isn't finished until the mid 20s.

Perhaps you can better understand your teen's fear now. As a concerned parent, you are coming from a place of love.

Wash Away Anger

Hand washing is our main defense against disease. The Center for Disease Control (CDC) has found we don't wash our hands long enough. They advise singing the Happy Birthday song two times while we wash.

Casually share this with your teen. Remark that every little thing gets on your nerves lately. It would seem impossible to remain annoyed while singing the birthday song. You're going to try it. What does he/she think?

Let the conversation take its course. She may wish to share some of her issues, or not. But, knowing teens, you'll likely hear him humming later.

Pull Rank

When nothing else works, pull rank. Set a date and time for an outing. Accept no excuses.

Find a neutral zone such as, a walk in the forest or sitting by the lake. Hold hands and be silent. Talking topics:

Nurture self esteem: What are five of your positive qualities?

Open communication: Would the thing you're angry about matter in 5 years? Why? If not, does it make sense to waste energy on it?

Color therapy: If you were a color, what would it be? Both close eyes. Breathe in the color and blow it out vigorously .This exercise diminishes the anger reflex and can be done anywhere, anytime.

Waiting it out: Did you know our anger response lasts about two seconds? Talk about ways to wait out the anger. Get a drink of water? Sing the birthday song?

Beat it out: Take a stick or golf club with you. Invite your teen to whack away at a tree. This is a healthy way to let anger out. Discuss how she/he feels afterward

The Pinnacle Schools-What Do They Offer?

The Pinnacle Schools, developed by a parent who found her own teen struggling toward adulthood, strive to offer the best possible program of care to both teens and their families. Knowing that there is more than one aspect of every child’s life, the Pinnacle schools strive to address every aspect of their lives to resolve the issues facing them. Pinnacle Schools provide effective treatment plans which are a co-mingling of parental involvement, scholastic achievement, peer interaction, and special challenges that may help the child to develop a higher level of self-esteem.

The Pinnacle School provide for a wide range of different behavioral issues, addressing one or more than one in a child. Offering more than one program for children, the Pinnacle Schools provide counseling and care to the troubled teen as well as help for the parents. Their aspiration is to meet the needs of every child and to work with the parents in order to give the child the kind of treatment they deserve.

The Pinnacle Schools have met or exceeded very stringent guidelines set forth by the Alabama Department of Youth Services. Four times per year they are visited on campus by state auditors who stand as surety for the effectiveness of the program and the compliance of the school with the state standards. Both announced and unannounced visits take place to ensure that the school is operating at peak efficiency and compliance at all times.

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