The Blog of P.U.R.E. and Sue Scheff

When it comes to sending your child to residential therapy it is probably one of the hardest decisions a parent can make.  It just doesn't seem normal to send your teenager to a behavioral modification program.  Let's face it - we all know that sending them to college is part of the circle of life, but no one prepares us for the potholes that some families face - residential treatment centers. As the holidays approach a teenager's behavior can sometimes escalate and this can leave a parent with a decision that they don't want to make.  How can they send their child into a teen help program during this time of the year? As a Parent Advocate and Parent Consultant, I share with parents that you have many years ahead of you to have many wonderful holidays together - however in some cases, it can mean saving your child's life by removing them from not-so-safe situations - especially if they are involved in drug use or hanging out with unsavory groups of...

Being a parent of a teen is hard enough - when the holidays come along sometimes the stress can be overwhelming.  Are they driving you to your wit's end?  When a teen threatens to runaway or actually does, it can be a parent's nightmare.  It seems a teenager doesn't seem to realize that holidays are supposed to be a time of joy.  The National Runaway Switchboard estimates that up to 2.8 million children and teens run away from home each year. Many return home within the first 24 hours, but there are still a staggering number that never make it home. Here are some tips for parents: Building the Foundation for a Healthy Teen & Parent Relationship Building a good foundation increases the potential for a good relationship. Do’s and Don’ts For Parents With Teenagers If only it was this simple. Here are some effective tips for dealing with your teenager. What To Do If Your Child Runs Away From Home What should I do if my child runs away from home? ...

Searching online for help for your troubled teen? Maybe they are not troubled, they have always been a good kid, but now they are making some really bad choices - hanging with the less than positive influences - smoking some pot (not to mention the cigarettes) - drinking - and starting to fail in school. We have even watched our teen drift away from the things they used to love such as sports, dance, music, hobbies, etc. Defiance, lack of respect, underachieving, withdrawing from family activities, and simply a child you no longer recognize - where did your happy toddler go? This scenario is very common, it happened to me over a decade ago - and is the reason I created my organization - Parents' Universal Resource Experts . I don't want to rehash my story here, you can read it on www.aparentstruestory.com or in my books Wit's End! Advice and Resources for Saving Your Out of Control Teen . I want to help you a bit as you are searching the Internet for help for...

First semester of school is coming to an end.  You realize that your teen is failing - and may have even discovered they are experimenting with drugs - smoking pot, drinking - and now you are thinking - "is this a phase?"  "is it their friends?" "typical teen?" Sure - all is possible - but why risk it?  Getting your teen the help they need is a parent's responsibility.  I am not saying that rushing into a residential treatment center is your first option - on the contrary, it is your last. You need to exhaust all your local resources first.  Therapy, peer support groups, maybe outpatient, living with a relative, youth counselors.....  If the behavior continues to escalates you can't be a parent in denial.  Once the therapy isn't working - your teen is actually holding you hostage in your home - and taking control of your family - you literally feel like you are walking on eggshells - you have to reach out for help. The Internet, as much...