What is truancy? It is just a sophisticated term for “skipping school.” Some kids just could not wait for the last period to end.

How to prevent a teenager from truanting?

- Have a positive approach to school. Never tell your kids about going there each day, being on time and homework.

- Inform the school if your child need to skim school because of an illness.

- Ask the school in advance if you need your teenager to have a day off for a special occasion.

- Schedule vacations outside the school calendar, especially during exams.

- Always become interested on your kids’ schoolwork. Be supportive.

Getting teenagers to bed at a certain hour is one thing. Expecting them to be at home is another. Staying out late has always been a common argument point between parents and teenagers. Of course, adults feel at ease if their kids are already at home at a reasonable hour. However, parents should know that it is very essential for teenagers that they could make decisions for themselves, like what is safe or not.

Compromise is the key that is coupled with honesty and trust. Rules should be laid out clearly. Make sure that the kids are also part of establishing the boundaries. Don’t forget the punishment when they fail.

Normally, teenagers tend to copy other kids, particularly what they see on TV. Clothes, music, and even expressions. Most of the time, this makes it hard for parents to accept or to say something about the changes with their teenagers. Peer pressure becomes very apparent when they emphasize that their friends are more important more than anything else. But, the real issue about this matter is when kids come across bad influences.

As children reach adolescence, they not only change physically but also psychologically. They learn to think more on their own. They usually start to fit themselves into the society. For instance, they have their own opinion on the rules and current issues. In short, they become more independent in so many ways. Thus, they strongly value what others think about them, such as friends and anybody outside the home.

As much as possible parents should remind their kids not to smoke. Also, parents should not smoke, set an example and avoid the 35% risk factor for non-smokers. Take note that most smokers’ children are prone to bronchitis, pneumonia and other respiratory diseases. Maybe teenagers would be convinced on the effects of smoking to their health. Perhaps cancer would scare them or so. They should also avoid places and people who are into smoking. Tell them that chronic tobacco exposure reduces airway function. It somehow equals to one to ten cigarettes a day.

More and more teenagers are now smoking. So why do they smoke in the first place? Actually, there are four common reasons if you ask the kids, although they won’t really tell you:

1. Image projection – Most of the boys think that smoking means a projection of fun, coolness and individualism. For girls, it would mean desirability and sexiness.

2. Peer pressure – When their friends smoke, they also smoke for the mere reason that they want to stay in the group, and maintain that certain acceptance.

3. Rebellion – Some teenagers smoke because they want to annoy parents and other adults. Perhaps they want to be noticed. Some want independence for that matter.

4. Adult aspiration – There are teenagers who believe that smoking gives them a sense of being an adult. Also, when

Teen anger is not just about behavioral outrage. Some teenagers have problems expressing. They usually suppress their anger and then withdraw. However, most of the time, teen kids who become defiant and very aggressive. They even have the tendency to destroy property. Parents should remember that, teenage anger is more of a feeling or emotion rather than a behavior.

However, there is a positive side of expressed anger. It means that there is an apparent problem with your child. And you know that, teenagers face identity, purpose, questions, relationships and separation.

This anger could be a sign of:

> Depression
> Abuse
> Anxiety
> Grief
> Trauma
> Alcohol or substance abuse

Adventure is part of any wilderness program. Adventure could be a very successful therapy. In fact, it is a separate therapeutic process that has been around for 40 years. The goal of such a therapy is to improve self-esteem and self-concept. It also help to correct both personal and social behavior.

Adventure therapy is the establishment of challenge in a safe environment through series of outdoor activities for groups in order to promote psychological treatment as well as education. Also, the therapeutic process has different techniques and settings to achieve change.

Anger is actually a secondary emotion. It is a reaction to a more instant primary emotion, which is the trigger situation. Such a situation is mostly unpleasant and very difficult for a teenager to deal with. Anger could be very empowering. Physical stamina increases and then affects the nervous system that sends off hormones throughout the body. An angry teenager mostly feel an increase of strength and apparently lose a mental clarity. Then, there is the mixed emotions of guilt, shame and embarrassment. These feelings are usually the causes of anger, since kids become defensive.

Violence is basically a learned behavior. So, you should know that if teenagers become aggressive in an abnormal way, there could be a reason. They might have got it from friends, neighbors and even from other family members. Unfortunately, such behaviors are reinforced by what kids see on the Internet, TV, movies, video games and music.

Parents should be careful about punishments. Some kids don’t see it as a constructive or corrective measure. Thus, when they are physically or verbally abuse at home, there is a great possibility that they could behave violently.