How to manage teen starting to hang around with bad crowd

[Anonymous]

My teen son has started to make some changes in his friend group and it's concerning. He was friends with a great group of kids all through elem and middle school, but suddenly has some new friends. From what I can see in their conversations online, these are not good kids, and they're influencing my son in negative ways. I've talked to him about it and shared my concerns and called him out on some things (with consequences), but how do I steer him away from these guys? Feels impossible. Any advice? I'm getting scared about the path he seems to trying to head down.

[Anonymous]

Get him busy. Sports, clubs, job, helping Grandpa, etc.

[Anonymous]

Yes, keep him extremely busy. Teens headed in the wrong direction do not need free time. Make his schedule as full as possible.

[Anonymous]

BUSY BUSY BUSY

That's what I did with my kid in middle school.

A high school kid can get a job. Fill his time.

[Anonymous]

Keep him busy AND talk to him about it.

[Anonymous]

To the extent that you're able, forbid those friendships.

[Anonymous]

Is his dad around?

[Anonymous]

Switch schools.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Switch schools.

+1 Good one!

[Anonymous]

Keep them busy and make sure that they are excelling in school (get tutors) and have a plan to get into good college.

I can assure you that they will not have any time after that. Though, it also means that you are there to guide and mentor them and be available to them.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Switch schools.

That doesn’t matter these days and it’s so over the top

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Switch schools.

How do you do that when you are in public?

[Anonymous]

It's very tough when they get to high school. The more you restrict, the more they will want to be with them.

[Anonymous]

Try to keep him busy with adults who are good role models. Send him to a summer program like Outward Bound or a camp where he can get a break from these kids and those programs have reflection time built in. Take him now to visit a college so he sees what he’s working for. There are many colleges with pre college high school summer programs where he can live on campus for a bit.
Sign up the whole family for community service, like a food bank. Have him regularly drug tested. Do your best to find time for just you with him, doing something fun together. Have him teach you a video game, and pretend to be interested. Meet him where he is. Monitor his phone and what money he has and where it goes.

[Anonymous]

If there is a particular kid that is a problem, you can meet with the guidance counselor to get his schedule switched next year so they don’t have the same classes or same lunch.