How to Talk to Your Teens
You may have an open dialogue with your child, but are you discussing the tough topics: sex, drugs and drinking?
Brenda says her 17-year-old daughter, Nikki, has traded in her pom-poms for booze, boys and bad behavior. "She's become this person I don't know," says Brenda.
Bonnie is so concerned about her 15-year-old son, Tyler's, marijuana use that she gives him random drug tests at home. "I feel like I've failed as a parent," says Bonnie.
Barbara found out her 15-year-old daughter, Ashleigh, has been doing all of the things she swore she wasn't: having sex, drinking and smoking. "How do I get her to stop?" asks Barbara.
Advice
Dr. Phil tells these parents and teens that in order to rebuild trust, the children need to be completely honest with their parents. In turn, the parents need to receive that honesty without flying off the handle. It's also vital that parents and teens reconnect with one another.
How well do you know your teen/parent(s)? To find out, take the same questionnaires that Dr. Phil's guests took on the show.
Questionnaires
Extra Content
- Learn more about how you can work through the issues that divide teens and parents in Jay McGraw's book, Closing the Gap: A Strategy for Bringing Parents and Teens Together.
