For a teen, getting braces can seem like the end of the world, but they’re important for giving your teen a healthy, beautiful smile into adulthood.  Besides reassuring them that their life’s not over, there are some steps you can take to help your child cope with wearing braces.

It used to be that braces were a big metal mess in a teen’s mouth.  Today, there are other alternatives that you can research.  They now make braces with clear brackets and bands so they’re less visible.  They even make “invisible” braces that are simply plastic pieces that fit over your child’s teeth.  Instead of your dentist doing painful adjustments, they simply replace the “braces” every six weeks.   If you do a little research you may find that your child doesn’t need the pain and humiliation that often comes from wearing traditional braces. 

Help your teen focus on the long term benefits of braces.  Many young adults tend to focus on the here and now.  They don’t tend to see the long term benefits that braces give them.  If they start to focus on how braces are going to ruin their life now, help them see that having straight teeth is more beneficial in the future.  If need be, have them bring you their favorite magazine and point out people’s mouths.  While it’s unlikely that anyone in there will be wearing braces, you probably wont find many with crooked teeth either. 

Another problem you may have to help your child with is the physical pain of braces.  While the pain can range from mild discomfort to more severe pain, it generally only lasts an hour or two after adjustments.  Be sure to give them pain killers on their way to the orthodontist’s office.  You should also try to schedule their appointments near the end of the school day.  This way they can go home instead of sitting in class being uncomfortable.

Braces can also prevent your child from playing an instrument or participating in sports.  Be sure to check with your orthodontist for options.  Many times they can give you different equipment or provide an attachment to help your child perform normal activities.

You may not be able to keep your teen from wearing braces, but you can take steps to make them more comfortable.

These are subjects you’ll want to talk about with your children before there is a problem. As a family, you can establish boundaries and consequences and come to a common understanding of what is acceptable.

Sex: According to Advocates for Youth, statistics indicate that children who talk to their parents about sex are less likely to engage in high-risk behavior, such as having sex without condoms. 70.6% of teens who reported they didn’t feel comfortable talking to their parents had sex by age 17-19. That compares to 57.9% of teens who reported a close relationship.

It’s true. Not talking to your children about sex isn’t that likely to keep them from doing it. But the opposite is also true. Talking to them about it, isn’t more likely to have them engaging in sexual activity. If it means having sexually active children behaving maturely, talking things out can only help keep our kids safer.

If you think your child is already having sex, chat with them about it. Don’t get angry, but approach it in a calm and reasonable manner. Talk to them about your experiences and be honest. If your child has a boyfriend/girlfriend and things seem to be getting serious, start the conversation if you haven’t already. Above all, make sure they are being safe.

Drugs & Alcohol: Many professionals agree that when parents talk to their kids about drugs and alcohol, those discussions are very likely to shape the child’s attitude about those subjects.

Before you talk to your kids – educate yourself. Check with your local school, library or even look online for the straight facts about drugs and alcohol. Simply telling your kids, “Drugs and alcohol are dangerous,” isn’t going to be as efficient as truly illustrating the very real dangers of substance abuse. Try not to lecture, listen to what your kids have to say and really talk about the issues.

As always, keep it casual. If you spend time with your teenagers and keep the lines of communication open, bringing up the subject is much easier.

Signs of Drug & Alcohol Use: Look out for these tell-tale signs that your child might be using drugs or alcohol:

• Loss of interest in family and other usual activities.
• Not living up to responsibilities.
• Verbally or physical abusiveness.
• Coming home late.
• Increased dishonesty.
• Declining grades.
• Severe mood swings.
• Big change in sleeping patterns..

Understand that a lot of the above signs, especially near the top of the list, could mean a multitude things. Teenagers who are depressed can act in similar ways. When approaching your child, don’t be accusatory. Try to connect with them and see what’s really happening in their lives.

Additional Resources:

Teen Addiction -  This anthology presents an examination of the causes of teen addiction and various proposals to reduce or solve the problem, as well as the personal narratives of teens struggling to overcome their addictions.

Who Can Benefit From a Parenting Coach?

All parents can benefit from a parenting coach. Parent coaching is for parents and caregivers of children of all ages who seek to enrich the bond between themselves and their child(ren). In short, with the right coaching bond, you can improve the relationship that you have with your child and work on any concerns that you have in order to develop a healthy parent/child relationship.

How Do The Sessions Work?

Every coaching session is focused directly on you, your needs and your goals. You set the agenda based on what is most important to you and we work together on your plans and goals to achieve your desired result.

My Parenting Coach services are provided by telephone, with supplemental email communications as well. I will call you at our designated coaching time so there are no long distance charges for you to worry about.

As your professional, certified coach, I promise to support you through your parenting journey as we identify your “next best steps” along your path towards happier and productive parenting. While working together, you will learn many techniques to help you along this journey.

Your Parenting Coach Packages

I work with clients who are experiencing all types of challenges raising children who range in age from infants through teens. As your parenting coach, I will help you to develop ways to deal with juggling your family schedule, anger management, disciplining your child, sibling rivelry and much more. I will teach you how to develop a connected and powerful communication relationship with your pre-teen/teen that is less stressful than the techniques that you are currently trying. With this package, you’ll find new ways of looking at and responding to the unique challenges that you face.

Free Consultation

There really is nothing like working with a Parenting Coach. The best way to learn about it is to experience it for yourself! I would love to introduce you to the world of parent coaching in an absolutely free, “no strings attached” consultation. If you are interested, simply e-mail me to set up an appointment.

Visit the Parenting Coach Page for more information on our packages

There are many parents that are dealing with out of control teens.

When I coach parents on the topic of out of control teens, the first thing I suggest to them is to be sure that they become aware of all of their options and I encourage them to get outside help for the teen if the teen is struggling with anger and/or addiction problems.

Many family that are struggling with a teen that is out of control report to me that it is tearing apart the family and the marriage, and basically take over your life. It’s no fun for your teen either!

Here is an eye-opening article all about out of control teen: http://www.parentingmyteen.com/parenting-teens-articles/out_of_control_teens.htm feel free to pass this article on to your friends!
 
Take Care,
Aurelia Williams

P.S. I love hearing your comments! Be sure to email me or Call our Listener’s Line 214-615-6505 ext. 4245 <-- your comments may make it on one of our shows.