First step with troubled teen question?
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My 13 year old daughter has turned our household upside down and I’m not certain where to start to get help for her before she truly becomes an out-of-control teenager. She gets extremely angry at the drop of a hat. She’s either even-tempered or having a angry meltdown..there’s no middle ground with her. I love this kid to death, but she is really exhibiting a lot of behavioral problems that if left alone could turn into extreme problems soon. I’ve done some research into residential treatment centers and/or boarding schools, but I really feel these are too extreme for her just now–they involve her being gone 12-18 months. I think that she may need counseling, but I’m not even sure where to start. Any suggestions or your own experiences would be helpful.
To all that think I’m looking for places to send my girl away, you are dead wrong…if you had read more carefully, you would have seen that I feel that is too extreme. I’m trying to get ideas in order to curb the behavior now instead of waiting until she’s completely out of control. She and I normally have a wonderful relationship and I have always treated her with respect. I work within the legal system and see on a daily basis how bad it can get for kids and I don’t want her to end up in that kind of situation.
