Loving parents doing it tough
PARENTS struggling to cope with their out-of-control teenagers have lost a support group.
But all it needs is a few brave parents to step up to the mark to resurrect the highly successful Tough Love program on the Sunshine Coast.
Tough Love Queensland co-ordinator Meredith Jordan said the Sunshine Coast group was forced to close after its core volunteers were unable to continue nearly 12 months ago.
"Unfortunately, without a co-ordinator, the group had to fold," Ms Jordan said.
Every month the Brisbane office still gets phone calls from anxious parents hoping to join on the Sunshine Coast.
"We also get many calls from agencies looking for the program. They are working with the young people, but they are looking for support for parents."
The Tough Love program was founded by an American family struggling with their teens in the 70s.
Its basic philosophy is used across the world by parents dealing with those difficult teenage years.
Ms Jordan said society was quick to judge and condemn parents when their teenagers went out of control.
"But the reality is most parents want to do a good job, they just don't have the tools they need when their kids really run off the rails.
"There are things we believe the parents and community can do to turn it around."
This starts with "nipping the problem in the bud".
"There needs to be clear boundaries with reasonable consequences and a consistent follow-through approach."
Ms Jordan does not believe Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie's "name and shame" program is a good solution.
"His approach seems to be very blunt, generally these aren't successful in dealing with problems effectively.
"A more effective solution would be for police and the courts to take a tough love approach.
"We need to have clear boundaries, real consequences and effective follow-through.
"Kids break rules over and over, they get so many chances and for some reason somebody thinks that's helping them.
"Even when kids do break rules, it normally doesn't go to court and if it does you wait months and months for a court date. By that time the connection between the court date and the offence is lost."
Anyone interested in volunteering to co-ordinate the Tough Love program can contact Ms Jordan on info@qld.toughlove.org.au or phone 3856 3211.
