Sue Scheff: Teen Cults

Even though the threat of cult membership largely remains a hidden danger, there are some important preemptive measures parent’s can take to protect their teenagers from falling prey to cult rhetoric. Sue Scheff™ promotes education and learning to help teens through troubled times, and dealing with teen cult danger should be approached similarly to other teen issues.

To prevent teenage cult membership, keep communication open and healthy between you and your child. Stay involved with their life, but not so involved you push them away. Keep in touch with how your teens are feeling and what they are doing as they go through their difficult teenage transition period.

Cults offer simple answers and immediate happiness as a temptation for membership, so help guide troubled teens through the complexities of being a young transitioning adult, and help them cope with the stress of teen life so they don’t turn to cults for help.

Teens are often looking for a community or place to belong, so help your troubled teen find group activities and places for friendship. Encourage them to join sports teams or any organization that is trustworthy and safe that they can join and help feel community involvement.

Refrain from pressuring teens too much for success. Often, our culture becomes much too involved with the idea of success and succeeding in school, and this unnecessary pressure can be destructive to a teenager’s psyche. Cults can serve as any easy way to get away form this stress, and can appear as nice alternative to deal with the pressure-filled, success obsessed world that parents sometimes push upon their children.

Parents must offer both love and support to their teens, while flexing proper parental authority. Teens must be reassured their parents love them, because if they feel lonely they will turn to cults for the love and friendship that troubled teens need. However, parents still must exert authority, because cults can offer guidance and structure that helps teens feel comfortable and secure. Basically, a strong parental presence that his both nurturing and secure will help teens avoid cult temptations.

Sue Scheff™ knows there are many warnings signs signaling cult activity in your troubled teen’s life. These signs include a dramatic change in grades and study habits, change in personality, change in physical appearance, sudden increases in talk about God or Spirituality, as well as changes in social interactions. Teachers and school counselors who see your child on a daily basis can provide a good resource t if you are worried about possible ten cult issues.

Learn more at Teen Cults Website.

Sue Scheff: Girls in Gangs

Source: Connect with Kids

“He wanted me to sell drugs. I’m like, ‘no I can’t do it, you know, I want to be a doctor when I grow up, and I don’t want to get in any trouble.’”

– ChanTrell, Age 16

The Office of Juvenile Justice has some good news for us and some bad: according to the latest numbers, from 2005 to 2007, the arrest rate for boys went down four percent, but for girls it’s up 10 percent. Experts say one reason is more girls are joining gangs.

In the small park, there are swing sets, a small stream, and dozens of families with small children playing. It is the park where Roger Raney’s 18-year-old daughter allegedly took part in a gang murder.

He still wonders why. “I’ve wracked my brain trying to figure out why but I have no clue, honestly,” Raney says.

But there were clues. When his daughter was 13, he noticed gang-related graffiti and tattoos. “In her room, papers, notebook, just all over really.”

But he thought it was just posing, just a joke. Now Roger and thousands of other parents realize it’s no joke at all. The idea of girls being gang members is no longer far-fetched.

According to the National Youth Gang Survey, there are 800,000 active gang members in the U.S. And over six percent are female, that’s 50,000 girls.

And new “recruits” are being propositioned every day.

Sixteen-year-old ChanTrell was approached. “He wanted to sell drugs. I’m like, ‘no I can’t do it. I want to be a doctor when I grow up, and I don’t want to get in any trouble.’”

“It’s not just what most people would consider the poor sections or less affluent sections. They’re everywhere,” says psychologist and gang expert Dr. Stephen Mathis.

Experts say girls join gangs for the same reason boys often do. “It’s all about acceptance,” says youth counselor Irving Carswell, “You know, ‘I want to be a part of’… and we have to take alternative measures…as parents and say ‘you don’t have to be a part of that.’”

And if your child is lonely, just moved to a new school or a new town, explain how gangs really work. “A kid often trades loneliness and isolation or whatever the kid’s feeling inside for an initial attraction for unconditional acceptance when in fact the conditions are very, very conditional,” says Mathis.

Conditions like selling drugs, even committing murder.

“Parents and teens need to somehow keep a bond,” Roger Raney says, “and not have a distance come between them, because it’s hard to repair it once it goes away.”

Tips for Parents

According to the Southwest Missouri Interagency Task Force on Gangs and Youth Violence, possible signs of gang involvement include:

■Skipping school
■Violent acts
■Disregard for persons or property
■Dress changes
■Unexplained extra money or expensive purchases

To help prevent your child from becoming a gang member, the SMI Task Force offers these suggestions:


■Arrange for adult supervision of teen’s and children’s activities
■Help the teen or child become involved in athletics or other group activities
■Set reasonable rules and consistently enforce them
■Hold family meetings and keep the lines of communication open
■Educate the child about the dangers of gang involvement
■Provide a strong religious background
■Be aware of changes in your child’s life
■Practice mutual respect with your child

References
■Office of Juvenile Justice Delinquency Prevention
■Southwest Missouri Interagency Task Force on Gangs and Youth Violence

Sue Scheff: Keeping Your Teens and Youths Safe From Gang Activity

What You Can Do

If you are worried that your child may likely become involved in a gang or already has done so, there are a number of ways to decrease the likelihood and protect your son or daughter. The main reason that teenagers decide to join a gang is to find a place of belonging and worth, as well as for something to do. Oftentimes, teenagers are simply bored and are looking for an activity and social outlet, and gangs serve just that purpose. To combat this, keep your son or daughter involved in extracurricular activities. Sports teams can provide the comradeship that many teens seek in a positive, productive environment. Not only will the individual be in a safer environment but they will also learn teamwork and other valuable skills. Arts programs and student leadership activities can serve a similar purpose, while teaching incredibly pertinent skills or developing a hobby or skill.

While extracurricular activities can be a great venue for teenagers to express themselves and release pent up emotions, energy, and feelings, there is no replacement for spending time with the family. The best anti-gang measure that you can take is to spend time with your children and let them know that you are there for them. Gangs provide support and companionship, but families can do the exact same thing. Just knowing that they are unconditionally loved will give your teenager more confidence and motivation. Having the support that family provides can be a major deterrent from joining a gang.

It is also important to be aware of gang activity in your area. If there are particularly active gangs in your proximity avoid their hang outs and do not wear their gang colors. It is not uncommon for an unfortunate teenager to wear a certain color and be confused for a rival gang member. Sadly, far too many teenagers become the victim of gang violence whether or not they are associated with a gang. Knowing about the local gangs will allow you and your teenager to know what to avoid in terms of colors and signs, but it also allows you to speak out against local activity. You can join an existing group in the area that works to rid the community of gangs. If none exists, establish a Neighborhood Watch or talk to the police about gang graffiti and activity.

It is important to point out that carrying a firearm is not advisable. While it may provide an appearance of safety and a mental feeling of power, guns usually just escalate conflicts. Also, make sure that your teenager does not carry a weapon with him or her. If someone is in danger or attacked and chooses to brandish a weapon, this often causes the assailant to do the same and can lead to far greater physical harm to everyone involved.

Learn more.

Sue Scheff - Teen Gangs and Teen Cults

Teen Gangs and Teen Cults

Gangs prey on the weak child that yearns to fit in with a false illusion they are accepted into the “cool crowd”. With most Gangs as with Teen Cults, they can convince your child that joining “their Gang or Cult” will make them a “well-liked and popular” teen as well as one that others may fear. This gives the teen a false sense of superiority. Remember, many of today’s teens that are acting out negatively are suffering with extremely low self confidence. This feeling of power that they believe a gang or cult has can boost their esteem; however they are blinded to the fact that is dangerous. This is how desperate some teens are to fit in.

In reality, it is a downward spiral that can result in damage both emotionally and psychically. We have found Teen Gangs and Teen Cults are sometimes hard to detect. They disguise themselves to impress the most intelligent of parents. We have witnessed Gang members who will present themselves as the “good kid from the good family” and you would not suspect their true colors.
If you suspect your child is involved in any Gang Activities or any Cults, please seek local therapy* and encourage your child to communicate. This is when the lines of communication need to be wide open. Sometimes this is so hard, and that is when an objective person is always beneficial. Teen Gangs and Teen Cults are to be taken very seriously. A child that is involved in a gang can affect the entire family and their safety. Take this very seriously if you suspect your child is participating in gang activity or cult association.

Learn more click here.

Need help - visit www.helpyourteens.com

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