Teen Rebellion

The topic of teen rebellion usually triggers some kind of emotional response. It can ignite fear in the hearts of parents who have children on the brink of adolescence; it can prompt both defensiveness and despair in the hearts of parents struggling through the teen years; and it can inspire a sigh of relief for parents who now have adult children. Whether your teen is opposing your authority or God's, rebellion is never easy to deal with.

This module is designed to:

• offer encouragement to parents who are struggling with rebellion in their home.
• offer instruction about what rebellion looks like.

This module is not designed to:

• be a checklist to determine whether your teen is a "rebel."

Teen rebellion is behavior with a reason

Youth specialist Tim Sanford encourages parents to realize that children always do things for reasons. He explains that many times parents don't know the real reason behind a teen's behavior. He says, "God didn't make us random beings, so our behavior (even rebellious behavior) is stemming from a reason. It's important to get to the ‘itch' (core reason) behind the ‘scratch' (outward behavior or attitude)." Whether dealing with basic issues such as respect or complex issues such as at-risk behavior, parents sometimes struggle to understand the difference between healthy teenage autonomy and blatant teen rebellion. What looks like rebellion may actually be a teen's natural "itch" for greater independence.

Why is my teen struggling?

In his book Losing Control & Liking It, Sanford offers some explanation about the struggles most parents face with their teens. He writes:

Your teenager is in the process of moving away from you. Therapists have a term for this: developmental individuating. It means your child is doing the following:

• disconnecting
• leaving the nest
• launching out
• becoming his own person
• growing independent
• becoming a free moral agent

These phrases sound nice and inviting when they crop up on a psychology test covering the "developmental theories" chapter. But they don't always sound so positive and gentle when they're lived out in your family room or kitchen.

Still, the theory is right: Your teenager is separating from you and gravitating toward his or her peer group. This process is normal, natural and necessary. Fight it and you'll lose. The solution is to work with it as well as you can — by understanding what's yours to control and what isn't.

What can I do during this season?

The realization that your teen is "in the process of moving away from you" carries with it a blend of panic and relief. There's panic in feeling a loss of control, and there's relief in knowing that your teen is in healthy pursuit of an independent adult life. Recognize that you're not alone in your struggles as a parent during this process, and be open to seeking outside support or counsel.

Focus on finding what hurt motivates the rebellion in your teen, then commit to prayer and forgiveness as the first steps in restoration.

Dr. Dobson encourages parents, "Don't panic; stay on your child's team, even when it appears to be a losing team, and give the whole process time to work itself out."

Relentless Parenting

Teen rebellion requires parental tenacity and persistence.

Parenting through the teen years, especially when dealing with rebellion, requires both tenacity and persistence. Following is an excerpt from the Parents' Guide to the Spiritual Mentoring of Teens:

We've talked about the principle of relentless parenting, but how can you apply this concept day in and day out with your teen? Let's look at seven practical ways you can demonstrate relentlessness:

• Pray, pray, pray.
  
  This habit is placed first on the list because that's exactly where it belongs. The No. 1 strategy for guiding your child through the teen years is to surround him with prayer. Simply put, relentless parents are those who pray relentlessly.
  
  Moms and dads of teenagers should heed Paul's admonition to "pray continually" (1 Thessalonians 5:17). This means consistently, throughout the day, asking God to protect, guide and direct your teen. And don't forget to include yourself in those prayers. Ask the Lord to give you strength, wisdom and courage as you parent your adolescent.
• Choose to be active and involved.
  
  Clinical researcher Dr. Nick Stinnett has conducted extensive studies on what makes strong families. After interviewing thousands of successful families, Stinnett and his colleagues identified six traits of close parent-child relationships. One characteristic is regular participation and involvement with each other. Stinnett says: "Members of strong families are dedicated to promoting each other's welfare and happiness. They express their commitment to one another — not just in words, but through choosing to invest time and energy. Their commitment to each other is active and obvious."
  
  Those last two concepts are key to any discussion about relentless parenting. Your love and commitment should be active and obvious. Be involved in your teen's life whenever and however you can. Ask questions about her day. Play racquetball with him on the weekends. Go out to breakfast together. Consistently attend games, school plays, choir concerts, piano recitals and speech competitions in which your teen participates. Be there for all the important events — and even the seemingly unimportant ones.
  
  Naturally, choosing to be involved in your child's life means taking a keen interest in his spiritual life. Provide every opportunity — whether at home, through church or elsewhere — for your teenager's faith to grow and flourish. More important, present a model of spiritual maturity and passion by living out Christ-like love, humility and servanthood.
• Don't take no for an answer too easily.
  
  Of course, you should respect your teen's boundaries, but some teenagers say, "I don't want to talk about it" or "It's no big deal" because they're not sure their parents are really interested. Be persistent without being pushy. Assure your teen that you are genuinely interested in, and concerned about, her life and that you're always available to listen. (It goes without saying that you should, in fact, be accessible and listen attentively when your teen is ready to talk.)
• Emulate our heavenly Father's steadfast love.
  
  God's love for each of His children is unchanging, enduring and unwavering — regardless of how badly we blew it. Throughout the Old Testament, God declared and demonstrated His unyielding love for the Jews, His chosen people, even when they were rebellious and contemptuous toward Him.
  • "Though the mountains be shaken and the hills be removed, yet my unfailing love for you will not be shaken" (Isaiah 54:10).
  • "I have loved you with an everlasting love; I have drawn you with loving-kindness" (Jeremiah 31:3).
  This same theme is repeated dozens of times in the New Testament.
  • "Surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age" (Matthew 28:20).
  • "I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord" (Romans 8:38-39).
  • "Never will I leave you; never will I forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5).
  
  
  Let this kind of faithfulness be your model as you express and demonstrate love for your teen. Say to your child often, "There's nothing you can do that would make me stop loving you."
• Renew your mercies every day.
  
  Christians are fond of quoting the verses "Through the LORD's mercies we are not consumed. . . . They are new every morning" (Lamentations 3:22-23, NKJV). The promise here, of course, is that God's mercy toward us is ongoing, continual, daily. As we savor the reassurance offered by this verse, let us also extend this same sort of mercy to our teenage sons and daughters. Every morning should bring a clean slate, a chance to start anew. If last night's argument was talked out and resolved, leave it behind. If your daughter apologized for the lie she told last week, believe that she's going to tell the truth today and tomorrow.
• Nurture yourself as you nurture your teen.
  
  The famous Green Bay Packers coach Vince Lombardi said, "Fatigue makes cowards of us all." We might amend this adage slightly to say, "Fatigue makes quitters of us all." The point is, parents who are chronically depleted and drained of energy can offer little to their teenager. Therefore, it's vital that you guard your spiritual, emotional and physical health. Do whatever you must to recharge your batteries: Get plenty of rest, set aside time for fun, exercise regularly, pray and meditate on God's Word.
  
  One of the best ways to nurture yourself is by developing a network of supportive friends — ideally, other parents of teens — with whom you can share concerns, learn from one another's experiences and pray for one another. If you aren't already part of a group like this or can't find an existing one to join, take the initiative and start one in your church or community.
• Resolve to never, ever give up.
  
  Go the distance, never surrender, stick it out, finish the race, hang in there, be steadfast to the end — whatever terminology you prefer, decide now that you'll always be there for your teenager. No matter how angry, stressed out, frustrated, disappointed or exhausted you are, resolve to be the best mom or dad you can be. Whether you are preparing for your child's teen years or are presently in the midst of them, make a commitment — an act of your will — to never give up on your son or daughter.

Holding Tight When Your Teen Rebels

Parents of prodigals recommend tough and tender parenting.

The worst nightmare of many parents is to have a rebel — a kid who makes her own destructive way through life, ignoring everything she's been taught, refusing to abide by any rules, causing chaos in the lives she touches. The fear is so great that some parents stress over everything their teens do, taking even normal behavior as a sure sign that their kids are headed for the edge of the cliff.

Other parents do the opposite. They ignore obvious warning signs, hoping it's a phase their kids will grow out of. I've talked with moms and dads who couldn't believe the alarms they missed — a pot-smoking son coming home glassy-eyed and wanting to devour every snack in the house, an alcoholic daughter returning on weekend nights and vomiting on the front lawn.

One couple discovered their son had helped a friend break into a truck. Later they would say, "We didn't think our son was capable of anything like that. Now we're finding out, OK, he's done some serious drugs, he's been involved in a crime, he's hanging with a kid we hate. That night started us on the process of determining what we should do with him because it was apparent we had a problem here that was bigger than we were."

No parent wants to live through something like this. But more and more are being forced to these days. They're finding that no matter what they did to raise their children right, it's possible that one or more will rebel.

Don't give up

This is a tough section to write. Tough because there's no easy answer to your situation. Each kid is different and will take his own detours.

That's why each situation needs to be assessed individually. Consulting a pastor or counselor is wise; sometimes more drastic measures need to be taken. When a teen is a threat to himself or others, for example, a place where well-trained professionals can monitor him 24 hours a day may be the best call. There are many good counselors and programs available.

The temptation is to walk away, to throw up your hands and surrender. You wouldn't be alone if you did. Many parents want to give up — and do. Unable to take the pain any longer, they protect themselves by pretending it doesn't matter. Their child screams, "Leave me alone!" and so they just do what he says, removing themselves emotionally from his life.

What these folks don't realize is that even though the teen's every action and word are designed to push the parents away, deep inside he longs for his mom and dad to hang tough, to keep trying — to be there for him no matter what.

Insights from parents

It's one thing for me to tell you what I've learned. What about parents who've watched their kids make bad choices, who've been dragged down the most dangerous detours, who've agonized and cried and prayed — yet somehow survived?

I've talked with moms and dads like these and want to share their insights with you. It's surprising how many of them report learning similar things about what it takes to make it through. Here are some of their hard-won lessons. (For more on this subject, see the book Sticking With Your Teen.)

• You can't control your teen's choices.
  
  Once your daughter leaves the house, there's no telling what she's doing. She can listen or not listen in class. She can throw out the good lunch you made and eat grease-laden fries covered with nacho cheese and suck down a 64-ounce Coke. She can take drugs, cheat on tests, drive drunk — or study hard and land in the top 10 percent of her class. She can be class president or class clown. And there's nothing you can do about it.
• Learn the art of relinquishment.
  
  This means letting go. It may mean releasing your dream for who your child would be, giving up control over your teen, leaving the results to God.
• Get help for yourself and your family.
  
  If you broke your arm, you'd rush to the emergency room for help. So why are so many moms and dads ashamed to get help when a family is broken?
  
  Some folks prefer pastoral counseling; others opt for a therapist. Just take that initial step and get help.
• If necessary, get your troubled teen out of the house to protect the rest of the family.
  
  When a teen becomes violent or brings home illegal activities like drug dealing, it's time to act on behalf of your family's safety.
  
  Forcing your teen to live elsewhere is no easy decision, and it should be made with the concurring wisdom of a professional. But if your teen is unmanageable, don't hesitate to find a residential facility where he has a chance to turn his life around. At the very least, it's a place for him to be relatively safe until he's 18 and can sign himself out to live where he wishes.
  
  For help in locating a program or residential facility that might suit your situation, call Focus on the Family's Counseling department at 800-A-FAMILY (232-6459).
• Don't be afraid to let others know what you're dealing with.
  
  One parent admitted, "We didn't want the whole world knowing [about our rebellious teen] because my husband was an elder in the church."
  
  You don't need to share details with gossipmongers, but be real. Many parents have been surprised at how their transparency proved helpful to families in similar situations. Pain shared is lessened; shared joy is increased.
• Allow yourself some enjoyment.
  
  Many couples who have rebellious teens put themselves in suspended animation, grimly hanging on "until this thing is resolved." Some feel guilty about having fun when they should be "doing something" about the problem; others are too vigilant, tense, worried or embarrassed to enjoy anything. But you can't keep going without recharging.
  
  Don't neglect the physical side of your relationship with your spouse. Take a weekend off. Set a regular date night, and don't talk about the kids during that time. Relax in a bubble bath. Rent a funny movie, and watch it together.
• Hold on to your core values.
  
  Don't let the continuing crisis wear you down. Did you believe before that God knew you, right down to the number of hairs on your head? He still does. Have you always felt it was important to give your child a present on her birthday? It still is. Did you think you needed to use your gift of encouragement in the children's ministry at church? You still do.
• Try writing in a journal.
  
  Recording your thoughts, feelings and prayers can help you sort through the turmoil and discover what's important. You can use a notebook, a blank book or a computer. You could even e-mail your entries to a trusted friend.
• Be relentless.
  
  Never give up. Move forward no matter what. Don't stop the good stuff. Try new things when old things aren't working. Stick with the things you know are right. Love unconditionally. Stay put as a parent when you'd rather run.
  
  Karilee and Dan Hayden know the meaning of the word relentless. For over 10 years their daughter Wendi took a long and winding detour, making the most destructive choices along the way. But they hung in there — praying for her, loving her, never giving up. Wendi, like the prodigal son in Jesus' parable, finally came around. (You can read the Hayden's complete story in the Focus on the Family book Wild Child, Waiting Mom.)
• Be tough and tender.
  
  You need a thick skin and a sensitive heart. That's especially true when it comes to dealing with the comments of others. Even well-meaning people can be hurtful. Don't let their barbs penetrate, but be tender enough to hear the supportive words others may offer.

Loving Your Prodigal

What to do when your teen rebels

"I don't have to put up with this. I'm outa here!" Amber stomped to her room.

I don't remember what the issue was, but a couple of hours later Amber was gone. Several frantic days later, we discovered that our high school senior was living with two older guys.

Amber isn't the first child, and certainly won't be the last, to abandon the values he or she was raised with. Sometimes children question their faith in a way that can be nerve-wracking for parents but is a natural part of growing up and making faith their own. At other times, kids make a series of bad choices but don't walk away from God. Some kids, however, rebel against parents, God and anyone else who gets in their way.

No matter the scenario, it can be a time of stress, anxiety and heartbreak.

What should a parent do when a child goes astray?

• Don't be too embarrassed to ask for support and prayer.
  
  When Amber left, I felt like such a failure. But when my husband and I admitted to others what was going on, we found comfort from Christian parents who also had prodigals.
• Don't blame yourself.
  
  When children enter the prodigal world, we tend to think it's because we did something wrong. After all, Proverbs 22:6 says, "Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it." But this Scripture was never meant as a guilt trip, nor as a guarantee.
  
  Sure, we make mistakes, but ultimately kids make their own choices. Young people leave family and faith because they decide to.
• Know the difference between helping and enabling.
  
  After Susan's runaway son, Jon, was kicked out of his apartment for not paying the bills, Susan welcomed him back home. But Jon often partied all night, and Susan fielded the calls from his employer, making excuses for Jon when he didn't arrive at work the next morning.
  
  Finally, Susan realized she was enabling her son's irresponsible behavior. She stopped covering for him and let Jon face the consequences of his actions. Parenting a prodigal often means practicing tough love.
• Don't forget the rest of your family.
  
  One day I was complaining to my friend Rhonda yet again about our prodigal. "What's going on with your other kids?" she asked. "Yes, you love Amber. But you have two other kids and a husband who need you. Stop focusing on Amber so much that you ignore them."
  
  Sometimes we have to entrust our prodigals to the Lord — and let Him work while we continue with the rest of life.
• Realize your parenting has changed.
  
  "Even if your daughter comes home tomorrow, it will be different," a co-worker told me. "She has emotionally removed herself from your authority. Now you learn how to parent an adult child."
  
  When a child leaves a parent's care and protection, the relationship changes forever. We can let our prodigals know we love them, but we have to let go of our responsibility for them.
• Build a unified front with your spouse.
  
  After Tami left home and got into financial difficulties, her parents decided together how they would field the requests for money they knew would come. They agreed to tell Tami, "I'll talk to your mom/dad about it, and we'll let you know."
  
  Also, don't forget to work on your marriage relationship. Make sure you don't spend all your time together talking about the prodigal.
• Set boundaries.
  
  During a prodigal season, otherwise lovable kids are often at their worst. They may become rude, demanding, manipulative and abusive. Some parents think they have to put up with bad behavior in order to display God's love. That's not so. The prodigal benefits more from the parent who says, "I love you, but I won't tolerate disrespect."
  
  Set boundaries in any area that concerns you, especially if your child wants to move back. Make sure your child understands your boundaries and the consequences for overstepping them.
• Deal with your feelings.
  
  Parents of rebellious kids face many emotions: anger (at the child, at themselves, at a mate, at a child's bad companions), grief, sorrow, depression and guilt. Whatever the feelings, we have to acknowledge them before we can deal with them.
• Remember God loves your child more than you do.
  
  Parents of prodigals feel helpless. That's why we must lean on God and His grace. He constantly draws them to himself and will be with them even when we can't.
• Look to a brighter future.
  
  In talking with dozens of parents, I learned that the prodigal season is just that, a season. Amber outgrew her prodigal stage within a couple of years as she realized she didn't like being a "wild child." Sooner or later, most children return to good relationships with their parents and their heavenly Father.

Meanwhile, keep the big picture in mind.

As you continue to love and pray for your child, have faith that your child is God's work in progress.

Loving — Even When it Hurts

Tips to help parents through their teen's rebellion

Isn't it puzzling that kids brought up in loving, Christian homes choose to rebel against their parents, or worse, against God? After all, they've had Jesus' love served up in huge helpings. Many have enjoyed the luxuries of a deep Christian heritage — some since the day they were born. Yet they still turn their backs on truth.

If you are a parent with a rebellious son or daughter, please take heart: God knows what you are going through. In fact, He told us how to handle this dilemma in the story of the prodigal son in Luke 15, which shows us that even God — the perfect Father — has children who rebel.

If you are in the midst of your child's rebellion, here are some things to help you through this season.

• Ask for his forgiveness for ways you may have failed him. Remove any obstacle that would block him from moving toward forgiveness himself.
• Seek wisdom. Sometimes it's difficult to know when to show your child tenderness and when to give him tough love. You need to lean on God for divine wisdom. James 1:5 says, "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him."
• Don't add bitterness to his rebellion. Keep all lines of communication open. Enjoy interaction with him outside the times you are forced to deal with his rebellious attitude. Give him plenty of reasons to believe you not only still love him but also enjoy his company and have confidence in his future.
• Make sure the rebel knows he always has room to repent. He needs to believe that your door is always open. Like the prodigal, your rebellious child needs to have confidence that if or when he comes to his senses, you have a place for him.
• Be willing for God to use you to help others. Be available to help other people going through similar problems. As 2 Corinthians 1:3-4 reminds us, "Praise be to the God and Father . . . who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God."
• Make your life more attractive. Give the prodigal a reason to want to turn around. You don't want to exemplify the things that may have turned him off to faith. Show him what a vibrant grace-based faith looks like. Let him see that within your goodness is an overwhelming capacity to forgive him when he finally gets tired of running from God.
• Don't give up. You never know when someone's heart will turn around.

Rebellion and Intervention

When and where to go for help when your teen rebels

When to step in and intervene — and how — is not always clear. There aren't always straightforward answers to a parent's frantic questions. I'll start, though, with two responses to the query about what to do when your teenager is out of control.

First, seek help sooner rather than later. Parents often wait too long, hoping the situation will fix itself. Sometimes things are resolved on their own, but sometimes they only get worse. You don't have to reach for a therapist at the first sign of trouble, but you do need to reach out. If the level of help you enlist successfully addresses the situation, great. If it doesn't do the job, seek the next level.

Second, find assistance when your teenager's behavior is . . .

• intense enough and on the verge of dangerous, or
• marked by enough major behavioral and personality changes that can't be otherwise defined, or
• disruptive enough to everyday routine that he or she isn't operating as he or she normally can.

I emphasize enough in each of these three statements, realizing it's a very subjective term. If you're concerned, yet uncertain about your ability to resolve the problem, it's time to get help.

This leads us to what may be the hardest question of all. Parents often ask, "Will my son (or daughter) ever turn around? What are the chances?" When I hear this, I know it's not an intellectual "Give me the numbers" question. It's a heartfelt "Give me hope" plea.

The answer I always give is, "I don't know."

But I follow it with what I do know:

• It's not your fault.
• Your teen has made his or her own choices, for reasons known or unknown.
• All the work, time and intervention you've put into this teenager of yours increase the odds that he or she finally will come around.

God is bigger than these problems. That may sound like a cliché, but there's no time for clichés when your teenager is heading down a path of self-destruction. I really mean that God is bigger. Yes, He will allow your teenager to make stupid choices. Yet He is interested in the life and salvation of your son or daughter. He sees and knows. And He's bigger than all the stupid choices, dangerous behaviors and pain.

If your teen is involved in at-risk behaviors, see our list of links that will encourage and equip you in this season.

Beyond the Heartache

One mom shares her story of a rebellious daughter who comes home.

On Valentine's Day our daughter, Wendi, then 18, was dressed in a cute white skirt and peach blouse, her long, light-brown hair painstakingly curled.

"Mom and Dad, I'm going to Tracy's house for a Valentine's party," she explained. "We're going to hang out there with some friends, have wings and pizza, and watch TV. I'll stay overnight with her and be home after work tomorrow night."

She kept her promise. My husband, Dan, and I were in bed reading when she returned, bounding into our room. All smiles, she said she had something to tell us in the morning. With an upbeat, "good night," she was off to her room.

"What was that all about?" Dan wondered aloud.

"I don't know, but it can't be all that bad, can it? She was smiling. In fact she was grinning from ear to ear. If it was bad news, we'd know by her demeanor, wouldn't we?"

"Well," Dan mused, "I guess we'll know in the morning."

We both got up early, our curiosity pulling us up ahead of our usual schedule. Wendi sauntered to the breakfast table cheery-faced and sparkling as she tossed an official-looking piece of paper on the table.

I can't remember the exact words — who said what first — but I remember her blissful, proud look when she informed us that yesterday she had not gone to a party with friends. Yesterday she had eloped with a "nice guy" named Jeff. She was married.

We had never met Jeff. In fact, we hadn't even realized Wendi was seeing one particular guy. We didn't even know our own daughter's new last name!

What do we do?

Wendi, our much loved second-born, entered this world and continued her journey with unbridled exuberance — a desire to experience life at full throttle — and a lust for living on the edge.

Advice? Didn't need it.

Consequences? She gave them no thought.

Hurting others? She felt bad about that, really, she did. Even in the later years when her downward spiral affected the frightened hearts of her two precious children. Our grandchildren!

For several years, Wendi turned her back on the Lord: parties, alcohol, drugs, broken relationships and marriages. Headstrong and heart-weak, she bolted through life with her eyes shut, slamming into dangers, near disasters and heartbreak. When commitments became difficult, she bailed.

Happiness? She never found it.

Until one day in her early 30s, depleted and hitting bottom, she glimpsed God's magnificent, pursuing love. Our wayward daughter — finally broken — bowed at the foot of the Cross, confessed her sins and asked the Savior for forgiveness.

God did the rest.

Today the sweet aroma of God's presence in Wendi's life replaces the stale scent of drugs and alcohol. Her once hardened face now radiates a winning smile and tenderness toward others.

Happiness? She exudes it!

And as her parents, we weep with joy.

No easy road

But what follows a prodigal's return to God? Now that Wendi has returned home, are her problems over? Will she always exercise wisdom, strength and discernment in making good decisions and righteous judgments?

No, she'll stumble, as we all do. Adversity ever lurks in the wings of life. Wendi's body bears significant illnesses from her past wild living, and her children battle lasting emotional scars.

The difference today is that Wendi does not run from her problems. Humbly, she seeks God's guidance through prayer, His Word and her church family. She is growing in the Lord, and an overriding peace surrounds her soul.

Our prodigal came home. Yet so many others are still running and searching.

Do you have a prodigal whom you love deeply? Take heart! Our God also loves your prodigal; He hears and answers our fervent prayers. "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit" (Romans 15:13).

Next Steps and Related Information

Additional information to help you and your teen

Popular questions on this topic:

• How do I handle strong-willed teenager?
• My husband has anger issues, and now I'm seeing the same thing in our sons. How do I help them deal with this?
• Our teenage daughter is pregnant. How can we help her?
• I found a condom and a cigarette lighter in my daughter's purse. Should I confront her?
• We need help for a teen with a drinking problem.
• Our teen is using drugs.

Related Resources

• Daughters Gone Wild, Dads Gone Crazy
• The DNA of Parent-Teen Relationships
• Why Christian Kids Rebel
• Losing Control & Liking It: How to Set Your Teen (and Yourself) Free
• Boundaries With Teens
• When Good Kids Make Bad Choices
• "Mom, Dad ... I'm Pregnant"