Teen Life Logo
Donate

Donate Now

Donate Now

Support Groups Articles and Episodes

Teenagers are longing for caring adults to take the time to connect. Check out our time-tested resources on leading support groups and building life changing relationships.

Teens need champions. Be one.

Every teen deserves an adult who believes in them. Our newsletter is packed with updates on teen life, free resources, and practical ways to build stronger, more supportive relationships with the young people you care about. When you grow, they thrive.

Subscribe today — because one caring adult can change everything.

Subscribe here
How We Deal with “The Bad Kids” Part 2

How We Deal with “The Bad Kids” Part 2

Recently I spoke with a counselor at one of our alternative (disciplinary) schools. She told me a story about a young man who recently got sent back to his campus after trying to get re-instated at a new campus in his district (his family had recently moved). It turns out the principal at this school was this young man’s principal in 7th grade, and essentially, the principal denied this young man’s entry onto his campus because of the student’s bad behavior in middle school. Let that sink in. After several years, this principal held a grudge against this student and denied access to traditional public education, forcing the student to go to alternative placement. Because of past sins, this student has been “marked” so to speak and will struggle to have access to the same levels of education as his peers.

How We Deal with “The Bad Kids”

How We Deal with “The Bad Kids”

Becoming a father has taught me so much about myself, mainly my weaknesses. One of those weaknesses is impatience. When dealing with discipline issues with my kiddos, I tend to default towards more pragmatic methods like raising my voice, sending kids to their rooms, and not giving my kids the chance to talk or explain themselves. Typically this is done in the name of “teaching respect” but often has the opposite effect. When I get into the mode of punitive discipline, I sense my kids withdrawing from me, and often just tuning me out. You see, I have smart kids. We all do. They have an intuition that goes way beyond our adult minds. While we are thinking about what needs to be done next and are always in a hurry, our kids are masters of what it means to be present in the “here and now”. Our kids don’t have to worry much about what is next (though they do ask about it some), so they are much more in tune with the feelings and actions of the adults in their lives.

On Fistfights and the Angry Student

On Fistfights and the Angry Student

Last week I had a “first” in one of my Support Groups. About fifteen minutes into group, two young men on opposite ends of the table started talking at each other, but in quiet voices. I checked in on both of them to make sure everything was okay – and they assured me they were fine. Then before I knew it, the two young men were in an all-out brawl until the staff at our location broke up the fight. It all happened so quickly and without warning that it took me a little while to recover from the incident. I just didn’t expect for something like that to happen – especially in a place that was supposed to be safe for students.

The Power of “Me Too”

The Power of “Me Too”

Earlier this week, we held our 2nd annual Teen Lifeline Fundraising Dinner & Auction, and I am still blown away by the generosity and support that come from this night. One of my favorite parts of the night came when Beverly Ross spoke truth over the audience. If you haven’t heard of Beverly Ross or Wise County Christian Counseling, I would encourage you to go check them out! At this dinner, Beverly Ross challenged us by saying, “We need to teach that it’s not going to be okay. It’s going to be hard, but you’re never going to do it alone.”

5 Tips to Better Listen to Your Teen

5 Tips to Better Listen to Your Teen

Want to connect better with your teen? These 5 simple tips will help you become a more thoughtful, present listener—and build more trust along the way.