Still Lecturing Your Teen?

If you are in your thirties or forties, consider what it feels like if I ask if you have put grab bars in your shower.

It probably feels irrelevant at the moment. It’s just is not a consideration.

Indeed, if I tried to convince you of the need before you actually need them, you will likely be annoyed with me.

That is what many teens feel when we seek to advise them of how current choices can play out in their adult life. We lose them.

To facilitate good choices and reasonable behavior it’s best if they see a more immediate benefit/reward.

It may take creative thinking to draw more immediate relevancy to present choices and actions.

However, that will likely work better than the frustration and irrelevance to a future good that is beyond their capacity to consider.

Don’t sell them on grab bars.

---

Are you following me on Facebook yet? If not, you are missing many more posts!

I am Gary Direnfeld and I am a social worker. Check out all my services and then call me if you need help with a personal issue, mental health concern, child behavior or relationship, divorce or separation issue or even help growing your practice. I am available in person and by video conferencing.

Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW

gary@yoursocialworker.com
www.yoursocialworker.com for counseling and support

www.garydirenfeld.com – to build your successful practice

Gary Direnfeld is a social worker. Courts in Ontario, Canada, consider him an expert in social work, marital and family therapy, child development, parent-child relations and custody and access matters. Gary is the host of the TV reality show, Newlywed, Nearly Dead, former parenting columnist for the Hamilton Spectator and author of Marriage Rescue: Overcoming the ten deadly sins in failing relationships. Gary maintains a private practice in Georgina Ontario, providing a range of services for people in distress. He speaks at conferences and workshops throughout North America. He consults to mental health professionals as well as to mediators and collaborative law professionals about good practice as well as building their practice.