I’ve read an interesting article in New York magazine recently that states that the period of life called adolescence can be harder on the parents of adolescents than it is on the adolescents themselves. The author of the article, Jennifer Senior (also author of the book, All Joy and No Fun: The Paradox of Modern Parenthood), quotes a leading authority on puberty named Laurence Steinberg, a psychologist at Temple University and author of the book, Adolescence. Ms. Senior writes, It doesn’t seem to me like adolescence is a difficult time for the kids,” Steinberg says. “Most adolescents seem to be going through life in a very pleasant haze.” … [Read more...]
Parenting Teenage Girls – Challenges Parents Face
January 7, 2014 by Leave a Comment
Why is my daughter so different since she hit adolescence? The most obvious difference between boys and girls when they hit adolescence is that while boys tend to withdraw, girls engage and often they engage with a fight. That is not to say that girls don't spend enormous amounts of time in their rooms, on the computer, or talking on the phone, however, they tend to pick battles and fight with their parents more often than teenage boys. Teenage girls struggle to regulate their emotions which often times feel overwhelming, confusing and "all over the place". This is what creates those moments where you may witness (or more often be on the … [Read more...]
Parenting College Students – How to Stay Connected
November 8, 2013 by Leave a Comment
By Susan Orenstein When thinking of your child leaving home, you might be experiencing a roller-coaster of emotions, including excitement, pride, and joy as well as stress and sheer terror. As your almost grown child develops a stronger sense of identity and independence over the next four years, your parenting role will change, but will remain very important. A strong parent-child relationship is essential to your son or daughter's confidence and college success.Over the next few years, you will lose your position as your child's chauffeur, housekeeper, cook, executive secretary, tutor, supervisor, and probation officer. However, your … [Read more...]
Listening To Your Teenager – Tips For This Important Skill That Can Improve Your Relationship
October 10, 2013 by Leave a Comment
By Karen Vincent A parenting skill that is very powerful with teenagers is Listening. I know... this can seem like a very basic and obvious skill, however, this is not necessarily the case and this can be a tricky skill with teenagers sometimes. The reason for this is because it can be scary for teenagers to think about how much they need you and rely on you as their parent or guardian. Think about how much energy they spend pushing you away in an effort to prove how much they DON'T need you (which FYI they are trying to prove to themselves more than to anyone else). Because of this, it is important for parents to take advantage of the … [Read more...]
How To Stop Arguing With Your Teenager
September 23, 2013 by Leave a Comment
Besides telling your teenage daughter every single day that you love her (the importance of which I have written about here), refraining from arguing with her is another major step a parent can take that will do wonders for both teenage self-esteem as well as the parent-teen relationship. Not arguing includes refraining from raising your voice, cursing, and using any kind of insulting language. In fact, a recent study (that Dr. Joseph Mercola, MD has written an article on just last week) suggests that arguing, criticizing and using harsh verbal language is counterproductive and can make your child even more defiant. Not only that, it also … [Read more...]
Family Traditions – 15 Fun & Meaningful Ideas For Any Family
September 5, 2013 by Leave a Comment
By Matthew Toone Family traditions help provide each family member a home, an environment, and relationships of purpose in a world of confusion, disorganization, and decreasing morals and values. Traditions provide families the desired foundation of comfort, familiarity, and consistency, which helps reduce family disunity, dysfunction, and separation. And yet, the most effective family traditions are not those that only occur annually on certain holidays, they are made evident in daily and weekly habits and actions that are simple, yet significant. No, these traditions are not about large meals, big events, fancy decorations, or annual … [Read more...]