Coastal Adolescent Behavioral Health

The most common question I am asked is ” How do I know if my teen’s behavior is normal adolescence, or something I should be worried about?” I think that the best way to approach this question is to start from the premise that teens are crazy at times, and that craziness is expected. I think all parents should read, Micheal Bradley’s book, “Yes, Your Teen is Crazy! Loving your Kid Without Losing Your Mind. ” He starts out by telling the reader that Adolescents are temporarily brain-damaged. The reader can then depersonalize their teen’s behavior and accept that some of this behavior is due to our teen’s being temporarily brain-challenged. It certainly is a humorous and helpful way to look at things. Parents often get stuck on the small stuff and miss the big picture. They personalize their teens behavior and blame themselves for not being good parents.  Our teens are not like us. The world they are growing up in is completely different. Their bad behavior is not our fault. We can love them, guide them, and negotiate our way through Adolescence. The good news is most of us parents and teens make it through this challenging time. A little beat up perhaps, but with our relationship intact. Adolescence is a test for our parenting skills. However, it is an exciting time to watch our little angels become possessed and finally emerge into responsible, productive, and pleasant young adults.