The term Troubled Teen encompasses a large variety of teen problems. Some parents would classify their teen as troubled if they refuse to do their chores and to do well in school. On the other end of the spectrum one parent may consider their child normal if they are failing and skipping school, and smoking marijuana on a daily basis. The type of troubled teen we typically receive calls for is somewhere in the middle. Most parents have a good idea that their teen may be in trouble, they just don't know how bad. Most parents are also in the dark as to what typical teen behavior is and what troubled teen behavior is.

Before seeking help for a troubled teen, most parents have tried many options. Some parents will try counseling or therapy. This option will only work if your child admits he or she has a problem and would like some help. While grounding a child may work when they are young, it looses its effectiveness for an older teen. The older the child, the more difficult it is to enforce most types of discipline.