"They come in like this," Upgren said, folding his arms protectively across his chest:" That's how they start out. By the end, however, that is gone."

Kids deal with challenges of all kinds. Single-parent families or blended families can make the challenges tougher, as can jobs that take a parent away for long stretches of time, Upgren said.

Kids can be angry about their family situations and self-medicate with drugs or alcohol, Hockett said.

But it's not just kids from struggling or fractured families that can have problems with drugs and alcohol, they said.

"Even kids from good strong families can have problems," Upgren said.

"This is a good preventative," he said.

Upgren said he is all for keeping kids busy, but a strong emotional connection between parents and kids is more vital.

"Connection is a huge thing," he said. Kids from any kind of family can make mistakes, "but relationship carries them through it," he said.

Teen Talk will offer advice for parents, such as "seven things families do wrong," Upgren said.