Tough LoveThe Again

Tough love and the strength to do it can be hard. As a parent or grandparent raising teens today, it can be difficult to know when to hold on tightly and when to let go and allow them to make their own mistakes. Tough love has been a hot topic in the media lately - the idea of loving your children, but allowing them to make their mistakes and learn from them, without bailing them out or saving them from the consequences. The idea behind this is that saving your teenager from the consequences of his or her actions only encourages further bad behavior in the future.

Tough love is not a path for everyone. It requires strength and determination on the part of the caregiver - a commitment on the part of all parties involved that the teen will have to deal with the consequences of their behavior. That means that if he gets arrested, he may have to spend a night in jail. If she gets pregnant, she'll have to learn how to be a mom and go to school at the same time. You will have to stand by and watch as your child struggles to learn new skills. It truly is a lesson from the school of hard knocks, but for some individuals, tough love is the only way to learn.