Teenage Issues

John's Most Recent Articles

We Shouldn't Always Shield Our Children From Pain

Posted on 6/6/2023

The depraved excepted, parents do not enjoy making children unhappy. Nevertheless, sometimes it is in a child's best interest that parents - while not deliberately trying to induce unhappiness -...

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Back Off on Daughter’s Eyeliner Use

Posted on 6/28/2022

Q: Our 14-year-old daughter is a rising high school sophomore. We let her wear eyeliner this past year, but she is wearing entirely too much. She is well-adjusted (plays sports, good grades) but...

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Don't Enable Entitled Teen

Posted on 4/19/2022

A recent online article concerned a mom who refused to pay her teenage daughter for doing household chores. A poll of readers found that an overwhelming majority of them agreed with the...

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Kids Need Parents Who Are Authentic Adults

Posted on 3/22/2022

The contemporary parenting ideal consists of equal parts fixer, go-fer, and friend, which is why, when it is encountered in the flesh by someone of my ancient age, the new definition of a “good...

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Is Vaping Ok for High School Senior?

Posted on 2/15/2022

Q: Our son, a senior in high school, is vaping. He claims he does it to control his anxiety. I worry about him getting into harder drugs when when he goes to college this coming fall. What’s your...

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Just 'Stop It!'

Posted on 10/12/2021

I often find myself telling parents that they need to stop doing something that is counterproductive and, in most cases, contributing significantly to whatever parenting problem is bedeviling...

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Should Son Switch Schools?

Posted on 10/5/2021

Q: Our 13-year-old eighth-grader says he doesn’t like the small private school he attends and wants us to put him in public high school next year. His grades are fine, he’s got several close...

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How To Help Your Child Get More Grit

Posted on 9/7/2021

It’s all over the web, that “grit” thing. Seems like every day, I get some promo for a webinar on how to get more grit, project more grit, or get in touch with your inner grit. So, allow me to...

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Four Steps To Give Argumentative Teenager the Last Word (and Restore Sanity)

Posted on 6/8/2021

Q: My fifteen-year-old daughter is slowly driving me insane! She argues with me about everything and always wants the last word. No matter how well I explain the “why?” of a decision to her, she...

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Today’s Kids Suffer a Lack of Common Sense in Their Lives

Posted on 12/22/2020

A journalist asks, “What is the biggest challenge facing today’s children?” “The real world,” I said. For the last fifty years or so, good parenting has been defined...

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Recent Questions

Carry On!

Posted on 9/1/2024

We have six kids ranging from 15-5. The oldest is a girl and the last 5 are boys. We are also homeschooling, so we are together ALL the time. It's hard for me to discipline her because I DON'T...

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14 yro in full blow rebellion

Posted on 7/27/2024

Our 14 yr daughter is completely out of control. We started seeing warning signs a couple years ago. She's been grounded in some form or fashion for at least 6 months of each of the last 2 years....

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13 yro are human

Posted on 5/4/2024

Hello. Our 13 year old son is the oldest of our three boys. They are all adopted and are biological brothers. For the past year or so, there has been a handful of times he has gotten angry...

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How to Deal with 13-Year-Old’s Misbehavior at Home

Posted on 4/19/2024

Do you recommend the Ticket system for a 13-year-old girl who is not getting along with a younger sibling, and is very stubborn about getting her way? She does well in school and is respectful...

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Delusions of Grandeur Quickly Eliminated by the World

Posted on 1/23/2024

Hello, I am concerned about my son. He has delusions of grandeur. He thinks he is going to be some kind of music star, but his skills do not match up to his aspirations. I try to advise him...

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Don't Play with a 14-Year-Old

Posted on 12/29/2023

Long story short, after finding out my nearly 14 yr old daughter tells her stepmom how much she hates me and her stepfamily from my side and how much she wants to live with her dad I conceded and...

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Teens Pushing Buttons

Posted on 10/24/2023

Whenever we try to discipline our son, it always escalates into a very bad situation. He recently started driving to high school and he has had a few tardies. He had a tardy a week ago, his...

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Moving adjustments for teen

Posted on 9/13/2023

Our family has just moved to a new town where we don’t know anyone. My daughter has just started 8th grade. She is quiet/shy at school so it has been hard for her to make friends. I’ve...

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Report alcohol sale to minor, step one.

Posted on 7/20/2023

Because my son was acting slightly off, I realized that he may have been drinking. I went into his room and found an empty bottle of wine. He confessed that he created an account on Instacart and...

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Teenage sexual awakening.

Posted on 5/9/2023

My son is 14 years old and receiving sexual comments from his girlfriend. He is also sending sexual comments to her. I don’t understand my son because he has been raised to know this isn’t godly....

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Audio

Parenting Teenagers

Posted on 9/1/2023

The teenage years are well known for being a time of difficulty and conflict between parent and child. The teenager has a new desire for the privileges of adulthood, but must first learn the...

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Parenting the Strong Willed Teen

Posted on 3/16/2023

This is an entertaining and informative talk on understanding and managing even the most petulant of today’s teenagers. The talk was recorded live before an audience in San Diego, CA, and is based...

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Video

Parenting Teenagers

Posted on 6/28/2023

The teenage years are well known for being a time of difficulty and conflict between parent and child. The teenager has a new desire for the privileges of adulthood, but must first learn the...

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