Helping your Teen Escape Abusive or Destructive Relationships

by Stephanie Partridge

No parent wants to see their teen hurt, abused or manipulated. It our basest instincts to step in and protect our children from harm. However, we can not protect our children from every single hurt and there will be times when you simply aren't around to shield your child. The best thing that you can do is actually a two prong approach. The first prong is keeping an open, honest and close relationship with your child. Let them know that they can talk to you about anything. The second prong is teaching your child how to handle harmful situations, instilling the confidence to recognize when they are being mistreated and the strength to walk away.

Destructive relationships come in many different shapes and sizes. Sometimes the destructive element is very apparent, other times it can barely be detected. The faces of the destructive relationship can be equally obscure. The polite, soft spoken, church going young man dating your daughter could be an abusive, angry tyrant behind closed doors. The sweet, pretty cheerleader that your son is dating may be horrible critical and verbally abusive when no one is around to hear. READ More on Helping your Teen Escape Abusive or Destructive Relationships