Thursday, Tell Us: How Do You Deal With An Out-Of-Control Teen?

You love your kids. You've always known you'd do anything for them.

But what happens when they push the limits you didn't know you had? What happens when they simply go too far?

Thursday night at 7 p.m. on NJPatchChat, Patch's statewide Twitter chat on big issues with local impacts, we'll ask: How Do You Deal With An Out-Of-Control Teen?

What do you do when your teen is outright deceitful or manipulative? What about violent? What do you do when your teen's so deep into trouble with drugs or alcohol, you don't know how to help? What if your teen's developing criminal habits that could last a lifetime? How do you reach out?

And when is tough love the answer? Is it ever right to hit your teen? To kick him or her out of the house? How do you balance your compassion for a child you love with your own safety, and that of the rest of your family?

There are no easy answers for those questions, but we want your input. If you've got experience with a troubled teen—or just want perspective on those difficult issues—tune in to NJPatchChat.

N-J-Patch-What? Here's How It Works:

Just head to Twitter Thursday night at 7 p.m. and search for the term #NJPatchChat." That's what's called a "hashtag"—a special term Twitter users keep an eye on, to follow an ongoing discussion or a particular topic. Want to join into the conversation? Use the term "#NJPatchChat" somewhere in your tweet (your Twitter post), and anyone following along will see what you have to say.

If you don't have a Twitter account, you can still follow along by searching #NJPatchChat on Twitter.com, but you can't join in. 

See you Thursday night.