Our first family makeover addresses many of the familiar challenges that come with parenting our teenagers. Through this particular family we will look at issues such as: parenting effectively through divorce and remarriage, how to determine whether your child has an issue requiring medication, such as ADHD or whether your child simply has behavior issues requiring a shift in parenting- like setting up critical boundaries that pre- teens need to be healthy and confident.

In my first meeting with Jackie and Joe, we began to discuss the challenges these two divorced parents were facing with their daughter…

THE FIRST VISIT

Jackie: Dr. Meeker, we’re here because we have concerns about our daughter, Sophie. She is 11 years old and is difficult to handle. She never listens to me, but she will listen to her dad. We are divorced, but live close to one another so we share custody pretty equally. I (Jackie) have a boyfriend who lives with us and her Dad (Joe) is remarried and has three stepsons who live with him and his new wife. So, when Sophie is at my house, she is with only my boyfriend and I, but when she is with Joe, she lives life…