5 Tips for Single Parents With Teenagers
July 2nd, 2009
Single parents and teenagers - these two words bring to mind the most challenging phases of life. I know because I was raised by a single parent, and not so long ago I was a teenager. I remember the life challenges my own mother encountered as a single parent. Here are 5 tips to help you navigate the ever changing challenges of being a single parent:
1. Remember you are still a family
Regardless of the circumstances your family is still a family - even if it does not have two parents. There are many single parent families that are emotionally healthy. It is a matter of choice, not luck. They choose to make their families emotionally healthy, fun and one that is filled with positive memories.
Parent Tip: Think about the ideals that you want your family to be known for, and write them down. Perhaps make a door hanger or craft that contains symbols of these ideals to remind you of them.
2 Talk with your teen about their feelings
As you may know, your teen may also be experiencing feelings of loss. Regardless of the age and circumstances, your child may have feelings of sadness or anger or just feeling different than their peers. Allow your son/daughter to talk to about how they are feeling. This will also help the relationship you have with them. If you are concerned about your teenger’s adjustment to the divorce, then I suggest you find a qualified professional counselor to help your teenager.
Parent Tip: Look for teachable moments. Those special times when you know your teen is really listening to you, and is engaged, and take advantage of it. Teachable moments are a rarity, so seize the moment. Fina a qualified professional counselor for your teenager to talk with to help adjust to the divorce.
3. Stay involved.
As best you can, continue to be involved in their lives. Show them you are still committed to them despite your stresses. Consistency in your behavior will shout louder than your words.
Parent Tip: Attend school functions. Find those things you both have to do anyways throughout the week and do them together. Eat meals together. Go for a morning or evening walk together.
4. Teach responsibility
Teenagers are usually begging for parents to give them their independence. One of the best ways to teach responsibility is to give them chores to do around the home. Address chores not as something you are nagging them to do, but an opportunity for your teenager to show he/she is responsible to handle more independence.
Parent Tip: Start with small responsibilities and then work into more independence with greater responsibilities. For example, you may begin with teaching them to do their own laundry before letting them drive your vehicle.
5. Live within your means.
As a counselor, I have often seen where parents incur a great deal of financial debt in order to “care” for their teenagers. They want them to have the right kind of clothes, have their own cars and other “necessities” the teenager says they “need.” This approach is lose-lose for everyone. Teenagers are not taught about proper spending, and the parents’ credit card bills stack up as does their financial stress.
Parent Tip: Educate your child on healthy spending habits. If they are of employment age, have them work to earn money to pay for their own “necessities.” Likewise, educate yourself on healthy spending habits.
Single parenting may not be the ideal parenting circumstances. However, it can be done right with children that are happy, confident, and achievers. Each parent can play an essential role in their children’s well being. How about you? Are you struggling being a single parent? Take the reigns of being a single parent to make a difference in the life of your teenager! Do it now before your teenager becomes
By: Terre Grable
About the Author:
1. Remember you are still a family
Regardless of the circumstances your family is still a family - even if it does not have two parents. There are many single parent families that are emotionally healthy. It is a matter of choice, not luck. They choose to make their families emotionally healthy, fun and one that is filled with positive memories.
Parent Tip: Think about the ideals that you want your family to be known for, and write them down. Perhaps make a door hanger or craft that contains symbols of these ideals to remind you of them.
2 Talk with your teen about their feelings
As you may know, your teen may also be experiencing feelings of loss. Regardless of the age and circumstances, your child may have feelings of sadness or anger or just feeling different than their peers. Allow your son/daughter to talk to about how they are feeling. This will also help the relationship you have with them. If you are concerned about your teenger’s adjustment to the divorce, then I suggest you find a qualified professional counselor to help your teenager.
Parent Tip: Look for teachable moments. Those special times when you know your teen is really listening to you, and is engaged, and take advantage of it. Teachable moments are a rarity, so seize the moment. Fina a qualified professional counselor for your teenager to talk with to help adjust to the divorce.
3. Stay involved.
As best you can, continue to be involved in their lives. Show them you are still committed to them despite your stresses. Consistency in your behavior will shout louder than your words.
Parent Tip: Attend school functions. Find those things you both have to do anyways throughout the week and do them together. Eat meals together. Go for a morning or evening walk together.
4. Teach responsibility
Teenagers are usually begging for parents to give them their independence. One of the best ways to teach responsibility is to give them chores to do around the home. Address chores not as something you are nagging them to do, but an opportunity for your teenager to show he/she is responsible to handle more independence.
Parent Tip: Start with small responsibilities and then work into more independence with greater responsibilities. For example, you may begin with teaching them to do their own laundry before letting them drive your vehicle.
5. Live within your means.
As a counselor, I have often seen where parents incur a great deal of financial debt in order to “care” for their teenagers. They want them to have the right kind of clothes, have their own cars and other “necessities” the teenager says they “need.” This approach is lose-lose for everyone. Teenagers are not taught about proper spending, and the parents’ credit card bills stack up as does their financial stress.
Parent Tip: Educate your child on healthy spending habits. If they are of employment age, have them work to earn money to pay for their own “necessities.” Likewise, educate yourself on healthy spending habits.
Single parenting may not be the ideal parenting circumstances. However, it can be done right with children that are happy, confident, and achievers. Each parent can play an essential role in their children’s well being. How about you? Are you struggling being a single parent? Take the reigns of being a single parent to make a difference in the life of your teenager! Do it now before your teenager becomes
By: Terre Grable
About the Author:
Are you looking for more common sense advice, practical solutions and even humor for parenting your teen? I invite you to check out http://www.parentingyourteenager.com/ where you will find tips for parenting teens, school, curfew, and more!
Terre Grable is a licensed professional counselor. She enjoys helping parents and teens become better friends when they feel like enemies.
What Every Parent Should Know About Alcohol and the Teenage Brain
July 2nd, 2009
Some of the long-term effects of drinking at a young age include learning difficulties, memory loss, and addiction problems later on in life. These are only some of the associated problems that are currently, scientifically proven. It is time that parents and those in our community took a stand against alcohol use, and experimentation with our teenage children now, rather than later on down the track when the damage has already been done.
Heavy drug abuse is said to be the main concern of many parents, when it comes to addictive substances. Although research suggests that the largest percentage of drug related occurrences are the direct result of alcohol use, not hard drugs. Parents need to be aware that alcohol use among young teens is harmful, unacceptable, and is a dangerous substance among teenagers that needs our attention, rather than our tolerance.
Facts About Alcohol, And Your Teenager
• In Australia, it is estimated that at least 73% of teenagers try alcohol more than once.
• In 2001, over 3,000 teenagers died due to alcohol use, and a further 64,782 needed medical attention after an alcohol related episode.
• Teenagers who are exposed to alcohol at an early age are five times more likely to become addicted later in life.
• Teenagers who binge-drink are likely to have poor judgment, and engage in dangerous activities such as increased risk taking, unwanted sex, blackouts, vomiting, and being a victim to violent activities.
Teenage Drinking, What You Can Do As A Parent
The relationships that we have with our teenage children have a bearing on their future development as they grow into well-adjusted adults who take their place in the community. In order to give your teenager the best start in life, they need to be given love, security, a warm and friendly family environment, as well as a firm set of values, and standards to live their lives by.
From an early age, children need boundaries. This helps them define, in later life, what acceptable behaviour is, and what isn’t tolerable. As children reach their teenage years, they need to be taught responsibility within their defined boundaries as a teenager. It is a parent’s duty, not prerogative to take an active role in your teenager’s life.
As a parent, if you don’t agree with teenage drinking, voice your opinion with other parents, and take a stand for what you feel is the right thing. You just may find that there are many other parents out there who agree with you. By creating a network of parents within your community that includes the parents of your teenager’s friends where possible, you can work together towards creating a strong, safe structure for your teenager to socialise in.
By: Tracy Tresidder
About the Author:
Heavy drug abuse is said to be the main concern of many parents, when it comes to addictive substances. Although research suggests that the largest percentage of drug related occurrences are the direct result of alcohol use, not hard drugs. Parents need to be aware that alcohol use among young teens is harmful, unacceptable, and is a dangerous substance among teenagers that needs our attention, rather than our tolerance.
Facts About Alcohol, And Your Teenager
• In Australia, it is estimated that at least 73% of teenagers try alcohol more than once.
• In 2001, over 3,000 teenagers died due to alcohol use, and a further 64,782 needed medical attention after an alcohol related episode.
• Teenagers who are exposed to alcohol at an early age are five times more likely to become addicted later in life.
• Teenagers who binge-drink are likely to have poor judgment, and engage in dangerous activities such as increased risk taking, unwanted sex, blackouts, vomiting, and being a victim to violent activities.
Teenage Drinking, What You Can Do As A Parent
The relationships that we have with our teenage children have a bearing on their future development as they grow into well-adjusted adults who take their place in the community. In order to give your teenager the best start in life, they need to be given love, security, a warm and friendly family environment, as well as a firm set of values, and standards to live their lives by.
From an early age, children need boundaries. This helps them define, in later life, what acceptable behaviour is, and what isn’t tolerable. As children reach their teenage years, they need to be taught responsibility within their defined boundaries as a teenager. It is a parent’s duty, not prerogative to take an active role in your teenager’s life.
As a parent, if you don’t agree with teenage drinking, voice your opinion with other parents, and take a stand for what you feel is the right thing. You just may find that there are many other parents out there who agree with you. By creating a network of parents within your community that includes the parents of your teenager’s friends where possible, you can work together towards creating a strong, safe structure for your teenager to socialise in.
By: Tracy Tresidder
About the Author:
Tracy Tresidder M.Ed, ACC is a professional parent and teen coach. Parents - learn how to assist your children to build lives of confidence, courage and compassion. Discover the seven simple steps to create a mutually loving and respectful relationship with your teenager. Go to www.coaching4teenagers.com.au to see the programs that are available now. Tracy is also the lead instructor for the Academy for Family Coach Training in Australasia where you can train to become a certified parent and teen coach. The 10 month Advanced Coaching Course, held in Australia on an annual basis, is the only ICF accredited Family Coach Training Course in the world to offer CCE certification. Visit the website for more course details. Family Coach Training
Help for troubled teens - parenting problem teenagers
June 28th, 200953infear asked:
ShortWayTo.com Does your child often: - lose his temper - argue with adults - refuse to comply with rules and requests - deliberately annoy people - blame others for his mistakes and misbehavior Is your child often: - touchy and easily annoyed by others… … troubled teens teen oppositional defiant disorder problem help parenting teenagers trouble programs teenager discipline teenage angry control rebellious violent difficult struggling program
What are some fun things for teenagers to do in New York City?
June 26th, 2009
devilchild asked:
I’m going to the city for my birthday with my parents and some friends, what would be some fun things for us to do?
I’m going to the city for my birthday with my parents and some friends, what would be some fun things for us to do?
Parenting Your Teen: What Every Parent MUST Know
June 26th, 2009ParentingYourTeen asked:
afraid of the teenage years, but they can be the most rewarding years of all parenting teenagers Complete guide to parenting teenagers including adolescent development, health & safety issues, relationships, sexuality, driving, school problems Raising Successful Teenagers Makes complex theory simple, and explains how to make, maintain, repair and strengthen relationships with teenagers Focus Adolescent Services: Parenting Teens A kind, warm, solid relationship with parents who demonstrate …
How much weight should teenagers gain per year?
June 25th, 2009
Anna Sophia asked:
My niece, whom I have custody of, is 15. Her parents were killed in a car accident two years ago, so I am somewhat overprotective of her. And I was wondering…
My niece, whom I have custody of, is 15. Her parents were killed in a car accident two years ago, so I am somewhat overprotective of her. And I was wondering…
If I remember correctly, last year at age 14 she was 5′7” and 128 lbs. This year, at last doctor visit, she was 5′8” and 136 lbs. Is that good height and weight growth?
Advice for Parenting Teenagers : Permission Parenting of Teens
June 25th, 2009expertvillage asked:
Be a supportive, healthy parent of teenagers; learn about permission parenting for parenting teenagers in this free DIY teen psychology video from a professional life coach and experienced youth counselor. Expert: Jason Wittman Bio: Jason Wittman received his master of professional studies degree in counseling psychology from Cornell university. Since the mid-1980s, he has had a private practice as a Life Coach. Filmmaker: Nili Nathan
Parenting Teenagers
June 25th, 2009aprilcas asked:
Getting Through to Teenagers for Constructive Communication Visit www.Parenting-Teenagers.org created at animoto.com
Why We Should All be Scared Alcoholism in Teenagers
June 25th, 2009
Alcoholism in teenager is a serious topic since the new foundation of any nation is being attacked by the deadliest of all poisons. Teenagers are the future of this world if at that tender age they get into alcohol addiction their entire future will be affected and along with them the future of the world. The reason why teenagers are so susceptible to alcohol is their hormones and added to that is peer pressure.
When you see alcoholism in teenager and begin to wonder what could have led the young chap to take to alcohol, think of all the stress these youngsters are under these days. Stress could be in the form of academic pressure, social pressure or it could just be depression due to loneliness. Study shows that a large number of teenagers in America are suffering from depression; this could be true for most parts of the world. This depression in turn leads to substance abuse and alcohol is one of those substances commonly abused.
Alcoholism in teenagers begins at social functions, when a new student tries a drink just to get high. This is considered very much in fashion and if anyone refuses he or she is bullied or nagged till they get embarrassed. This is the reason that education about abusive substances is very important at the high school or school level. Once the teenager knows the destruction that can happen because of this substance called alcohol they may be able to say no to it.
Most teen age crimes happen under the influence of alcohol; this makes alcoholism in teenagers a very serious issue. Driving under the influence of alcohol or DUI is one of the most common teenage offenses in the world. This can put a teenager behind bars, cost him or his parents a lot of money and he could loose his driving license. DUI may be serious but its not half as serious as some of the other gruesome and hideous crimes committed under the influence of alcohol. This could be anything from **** to murder, when done by a teenager it destroys many lives including his.
Alcoholism in teenager has been the subject of grave speculation since every one wants to put an end to it. Counseling by teachers and parents together can help these teenagers find the right direction. If their mistakes are met with humiliation and rejection then they take to substance abuse. Parents must therefore be supportive in anything that the child does guiding the teenage kids with a firm but loving hand.
Fashion must never showcase addiction as the in thing; this is misleading for those youngsters who live by the example of their celebs. At the same time teenagers must be made to understand the difference between fashion, style and harmful addictives by their teachers and parents. Alcoholism in teenagers has to be tackled at grass root level and everyone must contribute to this by education, laws and good parenting. Teenagers must remember that they are harming not only their bodies but also their intellect by abusing any substance.
By: Muna wa Wanjiru
About the Author:
When you see alcoholism in teenager and begin to wonder what could have led the young chap to take to alcohol, think of all the stress these youngsters are under these days. Stress could be in the form of academic pressure, social pressure or it could just be depression due to loneliness. Study shows that a large number of teenagers in America are suffering from depression; this could be true for most parts of the world. This depression in turn leads to substance abuse and alcohol is one of those substances commonly abused.
Alcoholism in teenagers begins at social functions, when a new student tries a drink just to get high. This is considered very much in fashion and if anyone refuses he or she is bullied or nagged till they get embarrassed. This is the reason that education about abusive substances is very important at the high school or school level. Once the teenager knows the destruction that can happen because of this substance called alcohol they may be able to say no to it.
Most teen age crimes happen under the influence of alcohol; this makes alcoholism in teenagers a very serious issue. Driving under the influence of alcohol or DUI is one of the most common teenage offenses in the world. This can put a teenager behind bars, cost him or his parents a lot of money and he could loose his driving license. DUI may be serious but its not half as serious as some of the other gruesome and hideous crimes committed under the influence of alcohol. This could be anything from **** to murder, when done by a teenager it destroys many lives including his.
Alcoholism in teenager has been the subject of grave speculation since every one wants to put an end to it. Counseling by teachers and parents together can help these teenagers find the right direction. If their mistakes are met with humiliation and rejection then they take to substance abuse. Parents must therefore be supportive in anything that the child does guiding the teenage kids with a firm but loving hand.
Fashion must never showcase addiction as the in thing; this is misleading for those youngsters who live by the example of their celebs. At the same time teenagers must be made to understand the difference between fashion, style and harmful addictives by their teachers and parents. Alcoholism in teenagers has to be tackled at grass root level and everyone must contribute to this by education, laws and good parenting. Teenagers must remember that they are harming not only their bodies but also their intellect by abusing any substance.
By: Muna wa Wanjiru
About the Author:
Muna wa Wanjiru Has Been Researching and Reporting on Alcoholism for Years. For More Information on Alcoholism in teenagers, Visit His Site at Alcoholism in teenagers
