What constitutes a happy family today? Is it piling in a van and driving cross-country for a summer vacation? Or is it sitting down for dinner every night? The paradigm of what a family is and what it should do has shifted, largely in part because change is inevitable. Today, more children have more options and responsibilities to stay involved with school and after school activities. Teenagers can have not one but a few practices to attend and responsibilities in a day on top of the mounting homework they get in school. This raises two issues: are we putting too much pressure on our children or should we be worried if our children aren’t involved in any afterschool activities?
The Pressure Of Being Young
Everyone has heard the cliché about walking uphill to school in the snow—it is meant to illustrate how spoiled kids are today. In many ways, kids today are spoiled. They live through their phones; they are shuttled around to every activity on their list to prepare them for college and for the most part have little to no respect for their elders—at least this is the perception. With that being said, the amount of pressure to get not only good grades, but also the best grades, is certainly spiked. Not only are 4.0+ GPA’s expected to get into certain schools and programs, students are expected to be active after school as well. Unfortunately this kind of pressure can lead to students abusing medication, alcohol or drugs.
Reaching Out To An Absent Child
On the flip side of the coin, students who are neglected or left to their own devices are also susceptible to substance abuse. Staying active and motivated inside school and out is good for a teenager. The challenges, rewards, discipline and encouragement that comes with a full schedule is necessary for a healthy sense of self. Without these character builders, a student can feel left out and look to fit in in drastic ways. For teenagers who are struggling with drugs or alcohol, enrolling in substance abuse treatment in Minnesota is encouraged.
Helping Students Early
Substance abuse doesn’t end with adolescence. In many ways, dealing with social and business pressures can make dealing with substance abuse more difficult as an adult, which is why substance abuse treatment in Minnesota is available for families, individuals and teenagers who need help coping with substance abuse. One-on-one counseling, family counseling and therapists with extensive experience dealing with troubled teenagers are available to help you and your student get through this difficult period in your lives.
For more information about substance abuse treatment in Minnesota, visit “Company Name” at “website URL”.
