About Parenting Teens: Teen Cutting for Attention?

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Parenting Teens Parenting Teens Teens Today High School Troubled Teens From Denise Witmer, your Guide to Parenting Teens Teen Cutting for Attention? A step-mom asks on our forum: My 12year old step daughter has been cutting herself. Not a huge amount, but we have seen her texts to friends saying that that is what she is doing. Shes definitely not hiding it. It seems to me like its attention seeking behavior. She is 12 but acts like 15. She wears low cut tops to show off her tits and plays her dad off against her mum. My partner falls for it most of the time as he can't say no to his kids. I see it as really just manipulating the situation. What should we do? Do we get hard or look to see if there is underlying issues? Everything I've read about cutting, the girls seem to be hiding it and ashamed to stuff, but with this one, the more attention the better. Any advice for me? Denise's thoughts: I would start by creating some rules more appropriate for a 12-year-old instead of allowing her to act like a 15-year-old. Letting her know that there are many other positive ways to get your attention rather then doing things that that hurt her. Do more to create a positive relationship with her, giving her the attention she needs. We have some articles on cutting and self harm from our Troubled Teens Contributing Writer, Kathy Rudlin, LCSW: Self-Injury Resources The article I recommend you start with is Why do Teens Hurt Themselves with Self-Harming Behaviors? If you find she is cutting more than you initially thought, you will want to ask her doctor for some help and resources. I hope it helps and please let us know how it is going. Asking our parenting community: Do you have a teen who has engaged in self-harm behaviors like cutting? How did your family handle it and where did you find help for your teen? Please share your advice and experiences in our comments area. Keep current with our parenting teens community: Parenting Teens On Facebook | Parenting Teens On Twitter How to Save Money on Halloween Costumes I find saving money on a costume for Halloween very easy - just don't spend any! We never did when we were teens in our home, simply 'went shopping' in your own closet plus your siblings closet, your friend's closets and your mom's makeup bag. Click on the link and see three quick ideas using what I just saw in my daughter's closet. Bad Parenting? Parents Should Avoid These Mistakes 'Bad parenting' is used to describe people who are not parenting in a way that will help their teen become a happy successful adult. They aren't keeping the goal in mind. Their reasons vary. They are too busy with other responsibilities to take the time they need to learn about being an active effective parent, they find parenting too much of a chore and aren't up to the task or in the worst case scenario, they are parents who simply don't care enough to parent well. While we like to think that all parents give at least a good faith effort towards their children and teens, unfortunately, it is not the case... read more. See More About:  parenting advice  parenting troubled teens  teen rules and responsibilities High School Survival Guide for Parents As teens grow older, they are more capable and independent. But with this independence, they need guidance from their parents in order to survive and get the most out of their high school education. This high school survival guide for parents will use the resources below to help you guide your teen to achieving in their highest potential in high school. Parenting of Adolescents Ads Defiant Teens Parenting Teen Anger Troubled Teens Camps Teen Counseling Featured Articles   More from About.com Essential Medical Tests for Women For women, certain medical tests and health screenings are recommended on a yearly basis. Learn which screenings are essential for your health, and why. More> Finding the Right Doctor Whether you need a new primary care doctor or a specialist to take care of specific symptoms, you'll want to follow these guidelines to choose the right physician for your medical care. More> This newsletter is written by: Denise Witmer Parenting Teens Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Parenting Teens newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Must Reads Bad Parenting? Avoid These Mistakes Talking to Teens About Tough Issues Quiz: Are You Raising a Healthy Teen? Teen Birthday Party Themes and Ideas 6 Tips for Parenting Troubled Teens Advertisement