| As the parent of a troubled teenager, you'll be worried | | | | If you've done a search on how to help your teenager |
| about the future. | | | | get through this troubling time, then I'm going to assume |
| Impulsive and disruptive behavior is hard to cope with | | | | that you're a positive parent who is looking for a |
| at home, but in school and outside, the possibilities are | | | | solution - not an excuse. |
| much worse. | | | | That means that your teenager will get help and |
| Poor performance at school can lead to no job | | | | support from you and that your trial with this will most |
| prospects - no future can lead to trouble with the | | | | certainly result in improvements in demeanor and |
| police. | | | | behavior. |
| A study in the North of England with teenagers who | | | | I have some personal experience of fish oil |
| were persistently disruptive showed positive results | | | | supplements - my own son as an 8 year old was |
| from a 3 month trial with fish oil supplements. | | | | difficult to cope with at times - he has dyslexia and |
| 20 youngsters who were in danger of being excluded | | | | found school a trial. |
| from school, were given the fish oils and they showed | | | | I gave him the fish oils and he became much calmer |
| marked improvement. | | | | and less volatile - his concentration levels improved and |
| Only 3 out of the 20 were now classified as 'severely | | | | he was fun to be with again. |
| inattentive' by the end of the trial period. | | | | Teenagers can be great fun - my son grew to be a |
| Some of this behavior is of course due to poor | | | | great teenager - fun, quick, witty and good company. |
| parenting, but the children all showed a lessening of | | | | During your trial, increase oily fish in the diet as well - |
| disruptive tendencies. | | | | you will all benefit from that. |
| A similar trial with younger children who were classified | | | | OK - so how to get your awkward teenager to |
| as exhibiting poor or very poor behavior gave a 90% | | | | co-operate. |
| improvement to moderate or good behavior. | | | | You could try bribery - a dollar or pound for every day |
| A difficult child can affect the whole family and | | | | they take the supplement - $90 or £90 at the |
| anything that might help is worth a try. | | | | end of the trial. |
| The child isn't happy, you're not happy, brothers and | | | | You could tell them it's to prevent spots! |
| sisters aren't happy. | | | | You could just tell them about the trial and that it helps |
| With teenagers, you've got the additional hormonal | | | | the brain to make connections - which is the truth |
| problems - they remove themselves to their rooms | | | | behind it anyway - give them the talk about how you'd |
| only coming out to snarl and snap at everyone - they | | | | like to be able to give them adult privileges, but if they |
| argue, fight and moan. | | | | behave like an irresponsible child, you can't. |
| You wonder why you're giving houseroom to | | | | The named supplements aren't cheap, but if you ask |
| somebody who so obviously hates you and all you | | | | at your pharmacy they will be able to point you in the |
| stand for - they want to be treated like adults but | | | | direction of better value alternatives. |
| behave like children. | | | | Whatever the cost, you need to weigh up the few |
| Anything that can relieve this situation is worth a try. | | | | pounds spent now against the future - how much is it |
| The trial in the UK would have involved teenagers | | | | worth to avoid a life of low achievement and trouble |
| from a disadvantaged background I would imagine - a | | | | for your children? |
| fair amount of their behavioral problems would have | | | | I know of teenagers who have wrecked houses, |
| been 'learned' due to their environment. | | | | stolen from their siblings and just generally get into |
| It might also be fair to assume that the 3 who didn't | | | | trouble outside leading to exclusion from school and |
| improve very much were from really bad | | | | visits from the police. |
| backgrounds. | | | | How much would you pay to avoid that? |