Am I better off forcing my son to go to counseling...?

Mark,

Thank you for your email. We've been having problems with our 13-year-old son and recently saw a counselor last week, which was with both my husband and I. After a very bad evening, I found your website and purchased your book which described my "out of control teenager" perfectly.

Am I better off forcing my son to go to the counselor or trying your steps first? He obviously does not want counseling. He is not a problem in school or anything else he does. He is a very well liked boy who is extremely athletic, good looking and smart. Unfortunately, he does not like rules and always wants to be in charge. The outbursts occur only at home, but obviously we have severe concerns on his disruptiveness to the home.

Thanks for your help.

P.V.

__________

Hi P.,

Counseling is just another "traditional" parenting strategy that doesn't usually work very well. I see many cases in which it makes a bad problem worse. I would predict that this will be the case for you as well.

Just get into the ebook and begin digesting the material. Email me as you go along. This will be a much better route for you.

Stay in touch,

Mark

www.myoutofcontrolteen.com

I want him out of the house...

I am a single parent. Could you give me any tips on how to get a 13-year-old to get out of the house on weekends instead of staying in with me? The only way to get him out is if I buy him a game or something he wants to do. But I cannot always afford this.

_____________

Hi L.,

Here are a few ideas that your son could do either at home or away from home:

1. Bake bread
2. Bake cookies or a cake
3. Help cook dinner
4. Do soap carving
5. Go and visit grandparents
6. Go bike riding together
7. Go bowling
8. Go camping
9. Go fishing
10. Go swimming
11. Go to a movie
12. Go to the library
13. Go wading in a creek
14. Go window-shopping
15. Have a bonfire
16. Have a family meeting to discuss whatever
17. Have a family picnic in the park
18. Have a late evening cookout
19. Have a barbeque
20. Have a water balloon fight in the backyard
21. Learn a new game
22. Make candles
23. Make caramel corn
24. Make homemade ice cream
25. Plan a vacation
26. Plant a tree
27. Play basketball
28. Play cards
29. Play Frisbee
30. Put a puzzle together
31. Roast marshmallows
32. Share feelings
33. Sit on the porch and watch cars go by
34. Take a hike through downtown
35. Take a walk through the woods
36. Take a walk through your neighborhood
37. Go to a school play
38. Take pictures
39. Take flowers to a friend
40. Take a walk in the rain
41. Stargazing
42. Visit a college campus
43. Visit a museum
44. Visit a relative
45. Visit different parks in town
46. Visit the fire station
47. Visit the neighbors
48. Watch a television show together
49. Work on a family scrapbook
50. Write letters to friends

You get the idea. I'm sure you can be creative and come up with even better ideas,

Mark

www.myoutofcontrolteen.com