My 14-year-old sister is in a lot of trouble. What can my family do?!

My 14-year-old sister is in a lot of trouble. What can my family do?

My sister used to be a straight A student, was deemed "gifted", and was a perfect angel. Now that she's in high school, she's fallin in with a really bad croud. She's doing weed on a daily basis, she drinks so much she puts herself into the hosipital. She steals money from family members and we found her cutting and burning herself at one point. My parents tried to get her to a doctor, she refuses to go. My mom has tried putting restrictions on her, grounding her for her behaviour and taking privledges away. My sister rebels. Now she has my parents wrapped around her little finger. Whenever she doesn't get what she wants...she threatens to move out. My parents are at all lose what to do. It's tearing my family apart.

I think she needs to either hit rock bottom or be scared into making changes in her life. I've suggested that they call the police the next she does something...but my dad says she'll just laugh it off with her friends.

1 month ago
I've suggested an intervention, my mom says she'll just get defensive...and won't be receptive at all.

What can we do?? It's tearing my family apart. I'm starting to really worry about my father's own mental health, and I'm going through a bad break up right now with my Live-in Ex-boyfriend of four years.

1 month ago
I'd also like to mention that I live in Canada, where the laws are liberal and childern have all the rights. Parents can't even properly raise their childern here.

I'm really worried. I'm afriad she's going to end up dead on the street.

1 month ago
Wow? Beat the crap out of her? She's only going to resent my parents for that and rebel even more. Good advice only please.

As you observed, her behavior has gotten your parents to be "wrapped around her little finger." This ofcourse creates a power for her that is not easily passed on. As hard as it may be to do, your parents need to assert control here and act as the parents and not let their love and concern for their child be used as a weapon against them. I too had a nephew who rebelled and got into sooo many problems, including multiple arrests, before he decided enough was enough (6 years later). Perhaps scaring her straight NOW, would be better than going through six years of hell as my poor sister had to endure. I've heard visits to jails also scares kids that want to be or are on the path to becoming troublemakers. Lastly, talk to her, as an adult, not a child, and try to understand what the hell is going on. Because the people she's hanging out with are definately influencing her behavior, find out more about them, from her. And if not find out who these kids are and work with their parents as well, or atleast try and get to know what environments they come from to get a better understanding as to why they, and now your sister, act the way they do.