Defiant Teen Advice from Ozarks Teen Challenge
As a parent of a teenage boy, you have one of the toughest jobs in the world. Some days, it can be a struggle to communicate with your son at all without fighting. Constant acts of defiance may leave you at your wits’ end more often than you would like.
Our staff at Ozarks Teen Challenge understands how overwhelmed you can feel as a parent if you have a defiant teenager who won’t listen. The defiance may seem to come out of nowhere, but that is probably not the case. There is often underlying causes to defiant behavior. By understanding some of the possible causes, you can work to create better means of communication between you and your teenage son.
Underlying Causes of Defiance
Defiant behavior in teens can be caused by a number of factors. Each teenager has different causes for their behavior. There are a few general sources of teenage defiance. If your child is having issues with a stepparent or friends at school, that may be a cause for their behaviors. Defiant behaviors come from any situation where the behaviors are reinforced. So if your teen has negative feelings toward a stepparent, for example, fighting with them and being defiant could cause the stepparent to react negatively. That negative reaction reinforces the negative feelings that your teen has toward them.
How Can I Help My Teen?
Fixing defiant behavior isn’t necessarily something that happens quickly. The most important thing you can do when dealing with defiant teens is to be consistent. Teens will push boundaries and you need to maintain a consistent bottom line.
The other thing you should remember is that it really isn’t a you vs. them situation. Your teen is dealing with a lot of feelings that he doesn’t know how to handle any more than you do. You both are in this together. Keep the faith, keep trying, and don’t give up hope.
Behavioral Therapy at Ozarks Teen Challenge
At Ozarks Teen Challenge, we are dedicated to helping your teen overcome his difficult time. Our Ozarks Teen Challenge staff are trained to mentor your teen son and guide him on a Christ-centered path to addiction recovery. Whether your son has issues with drugs, alcohol, or other addictions, Ozarks Teen Challenge can help. To read more about our behavioral therapy programs and read some of our success stories, check out the Ozarks Teen Challenge website today!
