Without effective tools and preparation, many parents understandably default to instinct and use common ineffective tactics, such as warning, advising, informing, or trying to control their teens. The adolescent brain has been compared to a car with a powerful gas pedal and weak brakes when in the presence of other teens or when expecting to be seen by them (Bulow, 2022; Steinberg, 2008). Further, they are drawn to peers, and then instinctively rev each other up into risky experimentation and sensation-seeking.
Many children and adolescents have caregiving responsibilities for their siblings. Parents often rely on sibling caregivers to supervise, nurture, and teach their siblings, prepare meals, and ensure activities like household chores and homework are completed. A recent study based on nationally representative U.S. data showed that about 30 percent of adolescents with younger siblings had some responsibility for sibling caretaking.