A troubled teen girl, one that causes your family problems, disrespects authority and ignores responsibility can throw a wrench into your otherwise peaceful family life. She might embrace her new role and see how far she can push you to get the things that she wants. While reacting harshly may be your first instinct, keep in mind the entire picture. To parent a troubled teen girl, you must find the root of her outbursts and work with her to show her what is acceptable.
Step 1
Open the lines of communication so that your daughter knows that they are available. You may be willing to talk, but your teen daughter doesn't feel comfortable opening up to you. Wait until you're in a casual setting; ask her open-ended questions about her life at school, her social life and her romantic life. She may be generally unreceptive at first, but you're letting her know that talking is OK, and you're available when she needs to vent.
Step 2
Offer positive feedback so your teen can count on your for a self-esteem boost. When your teen acts up, it can be tempting to overreact and blow up at the situation, doling out harsh consequences and even harsher words. But a teen girl will see your reactions as typical and use them to fuel and validate her bad behavior, notes the Family Education website. Before you say anything negative to your daughter, make sure it's prefaced by something positive. You'll likely simultaneously surprise her and let her know that she has worth in your eyes.
Step 3
Find your teenage daughter a mentor that can help her weather the rocky teen years. Even if you feel as though you have a fairly open relationship with your teen girl, some things she simply cannot communicate to you, says social worker Pegine Echevarria, author of the book "For All Our Daughters" on the Disney Family website. Whether it's a relative, a mentor from a non-profit organization or a friend of the family, allowing your teen girl to talk to someone without feeling hurt or jealous can help her talk her feelings and emotions out.
Step 4
Help your daughter to find a path by asking her what her goals are. Troubled teens are often those that lack direction, says Timothy A. Pychyl, an associate professor of psychology at Carleton University in Ottawa, Canada, in a "Psychology Today Magazine" article. Perhaps your teenage daughter hasn't thought about her future and chooses activities with short-sightedness. Help your daughter define the future and register her in activities and classes that will help to get her there and help to keep her out of trouble.
Step 5
Get your daughter help when she needs it. If your daughter has left the path of being a typically emotional teenage girl and has begun dabbling in things that could potentially hurt her, you need more help than what you can produce as a parent. Alcohol, drugs, depression and other personality disorders require the help of a therapist and treatment.
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