******* asked:


He is not always like this, but when he does get into his mood there is no stoping…He rages in anger…hits walls, huffs and puffs…I am a divorced mom, trying to do it all…but i don’t know what else to do !!
He is 11, his father and I got divorced when he was 3. He has a younger brother who is 9, and sister who is 5. We do everything together…He was the little man of the house and just lately…He started getting angry about everything..
Let me also say…that he is a great kid besides this…He gets good grades, he stays out of trouble…but the second things don’t go his way…Door slam, he screams, he hits things..Maybe it is an anger problem…I try to give him everything he needs. I just want my son back…before it gets worse

We have all been there. Being a teenager is not easy, it never was. Peer pressure has always been a part of growing up, but the things that we were pressured into are nothing compared to what teens are being pressured into now. With 12yr old girls getting pregnant and children younger than that already hooked on drugs, as parents we have no choice but to really stay on top of our kids. Having 2 teenagers myself, I can say that there is so much danger out there.  So much that unless you yourself are a parent, it would be hard to truly understand.  When I became a mother I looked at the world so differently. 

I think it is absolutely okay to go through your teenager’s things. Making sure, as much as you can, that your teen is staying out of as much trouble as possible is crucial. The majority of teens out there that are in loads of trouble all of the time, usually don’t have parents that are really staying on top of them. 

There are lines that do not need to be crossed though. Going through a diary is a definite no. Going through drawers, backpacks, and purses I think is absolutely okay, actually good parenting. Teenagers will hide all sorts of things from their parents. Keeping good communication is essential. At times it may seem impossible, but all parents can do is keep on trying and trying. Raising teenagers in the world today is probably harder than in times past. Counseling with teenagers is a great idea, even if you aren’t having trouble at the time. Good counselors can help develop a good line of communication open before there really is a problem with trust. Parents need to know as much as they can about what is going on in their teen’s life. 

Always know where they are staying the night at, who they are going to the mall with, anything. Parents that say “No, my kid would never do that” have absolutely no idea. Peer pressure is harder than ever for these kids, and they are just kids. At about 13 they of coarse think that they know everything. They need direction and they need to know that you will go through their things. Raising kids never has been said to be easy, but in time, it will all be worth it. I know that hope gets me through the hard times with my teenagers

By: Krista Robbins

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