It’s a scenario every parent dreads. Your teen has started dating (which isn’t the easiest thing to accept in itself) and you find their boyfriend or girlfriend unsatisfactory. There are a million reasons you might disapprove - maybe you think they’re rude, unfriendly, too friendly, unmotivated, a try-hard, or a bad influence.

Family members depend on each other for physical, emotional, and financial support. Over time, family members develop an overall dynamic - that is, the relationships, roles, and boundaries that shape their interactions.

The family dynamic determines how each family functions as a unit. Some families have an enmeshed system, meaning that family members each have minimal independence. On the other end of the spectrum are rigid family systems, in which there are many boundaries that limit communication, making members feel isolated and separate from the family unit.

The teenage years are filled with physical, emotional, and mental growth. At the same time, your teen is trying to determine their identity - all while being faced with new influences at school, work, and within their social circle.

As an adult, responsibility is like second nature to you. You’re accountable for your actions and how they impact yourself and others without giving it much thought. So how do you teach this engrained skill to your teen? Even if you’ve entrusted them with responsibilities throughout their childhood, whether that includes chores, school, or something else, they may struggle to understand the importance of taking responsibility.

Co-parenting with an ex-partner can be incredibly difficult, even if you’re on good terms with each other. If your ex-partner is a narcissist, you’ll face an entirely different set of challenges. Narcissists demand control, and they often use unfair tactics to get it, like gaslighting, manipulating, shaming, and destabilizing.

These mental games can make it feel impossible to co-parent with a narcissist. However, if you have a child with this type of person, it may be necessary to find ways to work together for the happiness of your shared child. Although extremely difficult, it is possible. We’ll discuss the challenges you’ll likely face and strategies to help below.

Everyone goes through those tough teenage years. It’s fair to say that you understand what it’s like to deal with the physical and emotional changes that happen during that transitional period.

Still, as an adult, it can feel confusing when your teen seems to shut you out, ignore what you say, or worse. In some cases, you may even feel hurt as you watch your once affectionate child become distant. So - how can you actually talk with your teen? Read on to learn more.

Adolescence is a time of immense change - physically, mentally, hormonally, socially, and more. It’s natural for teens to appear moody during this phase of life as they grow and adapt. However, sometimes that moodiness is more severe, which could be a sign of depression. Here are the common causes and symptoms you should know about, plus how you can support the mental health of teens and adolescents personally and through therapy.