Sometimes it's easy to forget that whilst being an adult has all sorts of stresses and strains, being a teenager isn't always that great either. First of all, they are at a difficult age when they're no longer seen either as children or as adults. Secondly, their hormones are racing, they're under pressure from friends and the latest trends won't leave them alone.

These are just some of the issues that lead to mood swings and tantrums that we commonly associate with teenagers. It would probably help if you tried to handle the problems whilst remembering that: 

If you’re concerned that your teenager is using drugs, you will want to know what signs to look out for. Unfortunately there is no guarantee that you will be able to know for sure, and so the best way of finding out is to keep calm and talk to them about your worries.

However, there are some signs that may show that a young person is using drugs. But remember that many of these signs may just be typical teen behaviour – so don’t jump to conclusions until you’ve spoken to them!

When a child is small, we often use boundaries to protect them and keep them away from harm or danger. But it is important that you explain why boundaries are there - for instance, if you pull away from an open fire explain why.

When parents give orders, children often dig in their heels. One way to stop this happening is to let them know why something is important.

Boundaries are about setting the bottom line or making agreements about what is acceptable and what is not.