How can I keep a troubled teen out of gangs?
I’m trying to be a mentor to a young man who’s father is chronically absent from his life. He’s very bitter about this and lashes out sometimes at me and his mom. He has some friends who are possibly involved in criminal activity and I hope he doesn’t get caught up in their reckless course. What suggestions do you have?
Tags: Teen., keep, Troubled, lashes, gangsRelated posts:
Be involved, involved, involved!!! Its a tough fight…but you already have taken the 1st step….you care!!! Also, try to get him involved in church youth groups..they have been great for my kids. I’ll pray for you and him!!
Really bye available when he needs to talk. Talk honestly wit6h him and PRAY.
You may think I’m joking, but really I would suggest you turn them on to the game of chess. If presented correctly (not as a “smart” thing or a “nerd” thing, but as a cool struggle of minds. When they beat someone playing chess they know true pride.
Just my opinion, though. certain kids, I know, would never go for it. Worth a try, though.
that’s a tough 1!
hmmmmmm….
well, tell him that if he does bad things than his life will become a living nitemare or something like that
(srry couldn’t help that much)
GET THEM INTO CHURCH !!!
first of all, let me commend you for giving your time and care to a child that needs a male role model.
well, this will be dificult, there is damage already done, from his fathers part, the fact that he has these friends does not help either.
boy you are in for a trip, he is going to challenge you a lot! he will try to prove to himself that you as well as his so called father will not be able to handle being around.
he is going to challenge everything you say and do, he will challenge your patience, and your strengh. he will question you always, and always answer him honestly and openly, i think one of the things kids really hate is for us to think they can’t understand what we want to say.
you say, he lashes out at you and his mom at times, believe it or not this is a good sign, it is all the anger, and helplessness he feels, the unhapiness and incompletness he feels. he is hurting, he is affraid, and confused. he probably can’t figure out why some other guy would rather be around for him rather than his own father.
talk to him a lot, about everything, keep your phone line open for him, let him know you care and give him concrete reasons for this. teach him about respect, help him realize it is not his mother’s fault that his dad decided to not be involved in his life, tell him it is unfair that he takes his anger out on her.
teach him about the facts of life, about responsability, and desicions, talk to him about being responsible for his actions, and the damage he can cause when he doesn’t think about the consequences, and about the choices he makes in his life, includding friends.
tell him the real friend is one who will Not try to damage you in any way shape or form, a real friend is the one who wants to keep you away from danger and who wants the best for you. that a real friend won’t take him down with him but rathertry to keep him from harms way
find out what kind of things he likes to do, sports, games, hobbies, etc…
he is going to act as if he is not listening, so the best bet is when you find something he enjoys and you can do together while he is enjoying himself, bring the conversation, just ease into it little by little
well my friend good luck and i thank God for men like you!
ask his mom if you can take him out to shoot some hoops or just throw the football around.Sound like he needs and is looking for attention ! Try to find out when your friend wants to go out with his buddies,that’s when you ask his mom for permission.
Check to see if they have a Big Brothers,Big Sisters program in your area.
I just back into that program this week.My ” little brother ” has two handicap brothers that he helps around the house and he really never goes out.The dad wants nothing to do with the family.
Good luck to all of you !
the only thing i can say is he can only learn from his own mistakes but u can try ur best to help him and if he dosent change then in a couple of years when hes in jail he will remember u and wished he had listened to u