Thinking about giving someone tough love might bring to mind old, often cruel methods of upbringing. As the world makes progress, over time many people have come to the realization that utilizing tough love is just too harsh a punishment. This is often especially true for kids who lack the experience necessary to fully understand the consequences of their actions. Humane methods of dealing with serious issues are usually more effective and easier to implement.
Being a Kid is Difficult
Parents who inflict tough love on their children have likely forgotten the difficulties they faced in youth. Too many kids endure being bullied regularly, the pressure to succeed in school and being misunderstood as individuals among other things. A teen who feels misunderstood may only feel pushed to lash out in more negative ways. Giving them tough love tends to add more stress to all the other problems they’re forced to live with.
Be More Understanding
It’s important to make every effort to understand that everyone makes mistakes. Kids who learn from their mistakes have the potential to become stronger, more ethical adults. With this in mind, parents would do better to remember the peer pressure, and other drama they endured as kids. Would tough love have been more effective on them, or would it only have served to compound their teen woes? These days, drug use and addiction problems are considered to be serious issues that need to be addressed. A person who recognizes the signs of a serious issue is someone who has the power to do something about it.
Some signs a teenager may need help with addiction or drug use are:
- Behavioral problems like isolation, skipping school, being secretive, hostility, illegal activity, different friends, etc.
- Sleep problems, weight loss or gain, seizures, injuries or accidents, etc.
- Unstable emotions, lethargy, difficulty concentrating, attitude changes, etc.
Don’t Be an Enabler
Encouraging someone to be corrupt is immoral. Leaving the situation alone to solve itself is also wrong. Instead, parents need to take a more well balanced approach to helping improve their child’s well-being. They can become better educated on drug use, addiction and other issues that can seriously harm their kids. Maintaining a positive mindset, being responsible adults and making informed decisions are steps adults can use to take appropriate action.
Humane Recovery Methods
Kids who have a history of drug use and addiction problems can benefit from more humane treatment methods. A trusted counselor can teach them the steps they need to have better futures. Some teens opt to enter a rehabilitation center to receive treatment from mental health professionals. They can be taught to incorporate better habits into their daily lives such as practicing spirituality, having a healthier diet and using positive thinking techniques.
Unconditional love may be an infinitely better way to help kids get back on the right path in life. Even though they may sometimes need someone to be firm with them, tough love may simply be too much for any kid to handle. Parents should continue to improve themselves, so they can make progress as parents and human beings.
