The following is a revised version of an article published in The Geelong Advertiser “Education Guide” supplement on May 13, 2008. Chris Mackey responded to questions put to him by journalist, Margaret Linley, who edited the original article. Additional input has been provided by Laura Capitanio, Child Clinical Psychologist.

As parents we can struggle to know what is the right thing to do if our child encounters seemingly insurmountable problems at their school and is miserable and frustrated. Should we tell them to stick it out or do we transfer them to another school? Is there a right time to bail from a school or are we just teaching our children to run away from their problems?

Chris Mackey, Geelong psychologist, looks at some big issues and discusses way to tackle them.

What comes to mind when we hear the term "generation gap"? Parents and children of any age are likely to experience at least some degree of frustration and conflict in their everyday interactions because we are not always going to want the same thing. It is normal and healthy for parents and children to have different wants or interests. There are likely to be extra tensions in the household where those children are of teenage years. It might be then considered to be in their "job description" to test the limits and push the boundaries as it were. It is during these years, often in the relative safety of the home, that teenagers will be testing out their range of ways of having an impact on others and their world in general, and seeking to establish an identity separate from their parents.