Make a point to listen to your child’s side of the story. This can often be extremely challenging for some parents, particularly when your child is clearly in the wrong. Nonetheless, it is extremely important for our children to feel confident that we are listening to them and understanding what they are trying to say.
Parenting Choices in an Instagram World
I read an amazing blog the other day of a parent who made difficult choices with his children about their Instagram and Facebook accounts. Note that I said “accounts” and not “account”. Parents are finding that there are hidden accounts on their childrens’ phones, iPads, and laptops.
The Growing Parent: Performance Night- A Way to Connect with Your Kids
“My job keeps me so busy that I feel like I have no clue what is going on in my daughter’s life. How can I reconnect with her to feel like I know who she is anymore?”
Helping Children Cope with Divorce
When parents decide to divorce, the decision can be difficult for children to cope with and understand. Children may react to the news very differently depending on their age. For example, a preschooler may have questions about who is going to feed the family pet or if they are still going to be able to play with their neighbor friend. But a teen may have questions about what happened in their parents relationship or if they will still be able to attend college.
Is my teen just being a teen…or is it something more?
The teen years are difficult because the young, innocent child you once knew is now on a mission to separate from the family and become their own person. Sometimes this shows up by the teen staying in their room most of the time, not wanting to spend as much time with the family, or being moody. These are all normal teen things, but how do you know when there is more going on?
Does my teen daughter still need her mother?
There is no relationship as close and as strained as the mother-daughter relationship, especially during the teen years. The difficulty in this relationship is highlighted with drama and humor in a show called Gilmore Girls. If you have watched this show you know the difficulty Lorelai Gilmore (mother) had with letting Rory (daughter) make mistakes while still being a loving mother who was there to offer guidance.
Technology and Connection
Smart phones, iPod, iPad, tablets, laptops, television, and every other device that gives connection– we are more connected than any other time in history. To think that one would need to wait a week or month to hear back from a family member or for a business deal is not comprehensible. Even when people are in the same room, text messages, Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook dominate the conversation rather than meaningful conversations with those present in the room. Couples do not wait until they return home from work to talk about their day. These couples use Face Time, Skype, text messages, iChat, or various chat programs to stay connected with their significant others and friends throughout the day. From teens to retirees, people are connecting themselves in every possible, technological way.
My Teen Would Never…Cheat!
What do you think your teen would do if you were not watching? Many parents hope their teens would make good decisions, but what do you think would really happen?
The Sandusky Case and its Painful Ripple Effect
With news of sanctions against Penn State, the statue of Joe Paterno being placed in storage over the weekend, and the FBI report about to be released, the case of Jerry Sandusky continues to reverberate long after the jury has rendered its verdict. The case has brought to light the … Read More
Communicating with your teens
Three more tips to help open the lines of communication with teenagers. Request your teenager’s opinion. I know this sounds dangerous, but often parents can be stubborn or controlling and issue an ultimatum or make a demand rather than actually listening to their teenager. Often it is easier to focus … Read More
