Teenagers & Parents

It has recently, been brought to my attention, that teenagers are encouraging one another to attempt suicide in order to get more attention from their parents. Please speak with your teenagers, about what is happening in schools and or when they are socializing with their friends. Listen to them without judging and concentrate on your children without being disturbed . I am so outraged, at so many

 parents who complain about their teenager, but don't have the slightest clue, about who they" hang out" with, or their constant well-being. I hear,I don't want to be noisy. I want to be my child friend.Please, Make the effort to talk to your children about their interests and things that directly affect them in and outside of school. Inquire about school & bullying and show interest in how h/she is doing at school, talk about his friends and show a general interest. Issues that are important to teenagers maybe not important for an adult, and by showing an interest you are opening the lines of communication. PLEASE do not exclaim that your child attends private school and everything is perfect, it happens everywhere. Effective communication will help increase their confidence and improve relationships. Be open, honest and direct when talking to your child, about the current situation and let them know that you & your spouse or loved ones, are concerned for their well being. Your interest may spark conversation, about issues you’re concerned about and keep it open for conversation. If you feel, that something more serious such as (drugs, issues with sexuality, a suicide attempt) is underway, I strongly urge you to seek professional help. In addition, respecting their privacy is important. If you have concerns about behaviors, avoid reading emails or secretly monitoring them to find out what is wrong. Not only will this ruin trust in you, it will replace important communication between you both. Moreover, I wanted to reiterate, with you my philosophy about parents, wanting to be their child’s friend. Parents can fill many roles in their children's lives: coach, teacher, confidant, nurse, protector, and giver. Parents can fill one another’s shoes when the other isn’t available. The one role that a parent can never be, however, is a friend. To teenagers, a friend is an equal. In my opinion, there is no equality in a successful Parent-Child relationship. At least not until the child has become an adult. As a parent you have an, extremely important and powerful responsibility, however 'not so cool' it may be, of providing a safe place for children to grow. Children rely on the adults in their lives to teach them the boundaries in life, what is expected of them. Teenagers are not adults and need a parent for guidance, not a friend. I have the philosophy that parents always do the very best, they do the best they know for their children, but recently, the pressure of life has become so exhausting, to always be running after something more. A better house, a better car, more money, more of a social life, while forgetting
that what's more important to children is consistency and a loving and understanding family. Taking time, to understand your child/teenager and applying boundaries can ultimately save their lives. Please pass on!!!