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Does your kid have 100 hours behind the wheel? Is this enough? By : Kim Carson Does your teenager get plenty of time behind the wheel? Yes, it’s a nerve-wracking venture; yes, it takes extra time, energy and resources; and, sexist as this sounds, typically, dads are better sitting shotgun than moms; and, yes, it will make an enormous difference in the driving skill level of your child when he or she is finally able to pilot solo. We can make high auto insurance costs and automobile accidents go down by providing our kids with more time behind the wheel. Young Money : Ways For Teens To Make Money - 3 Teen-Friendly Ways To Earn Cash Easily By : Michael Lee Young Money : Additional allowance money may be a little scarce these days, but that doesn't mean there aren't other ways for teens to make money as long as you're a dedicated and resourceful worker. Who cares? By : Audrey Coatesworth This article is about the present day culture of excessive drinking by many teenagers and young adults. This is a practice which can lead to permanently damaged health and early death. Why do the parents not take more control and accept their continued responsibility? Why do other institutions, which are primarily geared to learning, allow or even encourage, by the hours alcohol is available, heavy drinking? And why are the people who know and explain the dangers not listened to? The American Dream - What is it? By : Kecia Burcham What is today's "American Dream"? It is ever changing, and according to many of our young people, it is vastly different than their parents version. Parenting Tweens and Teens: A Conversation with Dr. John Duffy, author of The Available Parent By : Evangelia Biddy Expert in Developmental Needs & Learning Styles of Boys “Many of the challenges of adolescence that we adults first encountered as teens, our children are experiencing as tweens,” shares Dr. John Duffy, author of The Available Parent. Sex slavery in the schools: Identifying teens at risk for sex trafficking By : Hollycraw Teens are finding new dangers right in their own schools. Across the US, thousands of kids are drawn into sex trafficking each day, and some of them become recruiters within the schools for their pimps. These students may look like the normal, average teenagers, but they are on an insidious mission to befriend others, usually girls, and convince them that life has more to offer. Schools at risk: When teens recruit teens to be prostituted by pimps By : Hollycraw Miranda fumed that her parents forbade her from going to the big party after the high school football game. It was so unfair that they didn't trust her. She vented her woes to Sally as they walked home, and threatened to run away. Afterall, she was old enough to take care of herself, and she didn't need all those stupid rules. Relational Aggression By : Lone Worker A look at relational aggression and how it affects individual into their adult life. Time with your teens - Part 3 By : Audrey Coatesworth Dr Audrey Coatesworth follows her 'Time with your teens', Part 1 and Part 2 with this final article. Parental responsibility should continue through the teenage years, with guidance and care continuing despite any difficulties which the teenage years, with peer pressures and emotional developments, may bring. Teen Driving Safety: Your teen has a driving permit…now what? Do You Know GDL? By : MCatherine GDL is the acronym for Graduated Driver Licensing. Most states and territories in the US have a GDL. GDL focuses on building the bare minimum of driving skills along with some specific restrictions. If you have a teen itching to learn to drive then familiarizing yourself with the GDL for your area will be one of the most important laws to understand but a law that is woefully under-utilized. Thinking beyond the GDL basics is imperative to improve teen driving safety and parents hold the key! Showing Your Teen That You Care By : Christina Botto Showing your teen that you genuinely care can be a very difficult thing to do; what may be caring to you as an adult may be superficial, unreasonable, or even come across as cold to your teenager. Top 17 Tips for Parental Growth When Raising Teenagers By : Wasya Wa Mukamba True love is to love someone you feel like sending to Siberia. Focus on the good that may be born after your child’s turbulent years. If your child happens to consider you his/her best friend in their teen years, ask yourself what you are doing wrong. In that age, it’s hard to consider a parent who tells you what you need to hear (totally different from what you want to hear), your friend. Parenting Teens & Law of Attraction By : Joanie McMahon Parenting Teens Can be one of the most challenging and exciting times for both parents and teens. Teens And The Choking Game By : Cynthia Helwig Is your forehead furrowing deeply with concern and uncertainty right about now? Well, it should be because this is a major cause for concern. If you haven’t heard about it, it’s quite possible that your children have and it isn’t a game either. Teenagers Share How An Anger Management Class Impacted Their Lives By : Mr. Wisdom This article focuses on two teenagers that attended an anger management class to help them change their negative behavior. Both teenagers shared how the anger management class positively impacted their lives. Take five, and think before you speak By : Fern Weis, Parent Coach When you find yourself in a stressful conversation with your children (of any age), it's best to step away for a moment. Give yourself time to form your thoughts and say what you really mean. Here are some strategies to keep you calm and focused. Raising Girls on the Run: Helping Girls Win the Race of Life By : Evangelia Biddy Expert in Developmental Needs & Learning Styles of Boys A look at an exciting program designed to help girls increase their self-esteem, take control of their body image and achieve success in school and beyond. Trans Racial Adoption and Adolescents By : Brenda McCreight Adolescence is a tough time for most people – and adoptees often face more challenges than others as they try to come to terms with their genetic and cultural identities. To complicate matters, many adoptees do not live with parents who are of the same racial or cultural background and so therefore they have to deal with the added burden of trying to figure out how they fit in, or not, with a family or a community in which they stand out as different – and being different is the one thing that most teens dread. NEGOTIATING SAFE RELATIONSHIPS FOR ADOLESCENTS By : Biola It is thus necessary to conduct 'refresher courses' for parents on the needs to educate their wards and children on sexuality issues. Three tips in gaining your teen daughter’s trust By : Nishaline Hines If your daughter trusts you then she will be more open to listening and adhering to your instructions. Part of gaining her trust involves – you! Festival of music or booze? Enjoyment or health hazard? By : AudreyC This article is related to my article ‘Another lost generation?’ The excessive intake of alcohol at a music festival is used to illustrate current trends amongst young people. I state clearly the long term dangers of excessive intake of alcohol, My knowledge is gained from experience in a work situation. A Ceremony to Welcome in the Teen Years By : Wendy Haynes, Ceremony & Family Rituals Expert In our culture, a ceremony to honour a young person entering into their teen years is quite rare. Yet, this rite of passage, of becoming a teenager, is one of the major transitions in our lives. The pre-teenage years that I witnessed in my three children and from what I remember of my own childhood were filled with a sense of innocence and freedom. There were times of struggle, upset and fear yet primarily there were not many concerns about the bigger picture. When your teen pushes your buttons, disengage. By : Fern Weis, Parent Coach When your teenager pushes your buttons, there's no telling what words will fly out of your mouth. Take a moment to step back and say what you really mean and mean what you say. Parent - Teen Conflict - Using The Principle of Control By : Brenda McCreight Parent and teen conflict is as old as humanity and the main issues hasn't changed - it's still all about who is in control. In this article, you will be challenged to consider what control is really about, and who it is that really needs to be controlled! Tips on fostering communication with your teen daughter By : Nishaline Hines If you are a parent of a teen girl you are probably wondering where your little girl went! Where she used to jump in your arms she is now keeping you are arms length. Keep reading to get some tips that will help you both get through this interesting time! They don't get it! By : Nishaline Hines Have a teen daugher and you feel as though you are speaking two different languages? Does she think you are weird and overbearing? You are not alone! THE TOP TWO MISTAKES PARENTS OF TEENS MAKE By : Sandra Dye In all the years I have been working with children, teens and parents, I am amazed at just how many parents believe they can persuade their teens to their way of thinking. Actually, nothing could be further from the truth. Most parents who expect their teens to accept their way of thinking find that this leads to frustration and ultimately disconnect with their teen. The worst part is: it just doesn’t have to happen! Adolescent Substance Abuse: Part 4 By : James Beverly Although every teenager will not abuse or experiment with dangerous drugs, every parent should be generally familiar with the most commonly abused drugs and the symptoms of their use. Early intervention is absolutely critical in stopping or preventing the cycle of addiction. Addiction will not only tear your family apart and destroy the addict’s future – but the ultimate outcome, even with treatment, may very well be incarceration or death. Girls In Sport - Anorexia, Amenorrhea and Osteoporosis By : Dee Jay Bee Some teens who play sport or participate in intense activity are at risk of developing the female triad. This state is described as a combination of 3 conditions: an eating disorder, amenorrhea and osteoporosis. Teens who participate in sports that are weight related (eg. karate and rowing) and sports where a lean image is the expected body shape (gymnastics, ballet, diving, and figure skating) are most susceptible. But even in less body orientated sports such as distance running and triathlons Adolescent Substance Abuse: Part 3 By : James Beverly Is your teenager experimenting with drugs? A surprising number of teenagers experiment at one time or another with drugs. When does it become drug abuse? When do they cross the line into addiction? Every parent should be familiar with these topics and the warning signs that usually accompany them. When Texting turns to Sexting By : Susan Fredricks Based on a survey conducted by the Campaign to Prevent Teen and Unplanned Pregnancy, Jennifer is one of the 39 percent of teens and young adults who are sending indecent photos and text messages. Sexting is an alarming new trend where teenage flirting has graduated from note passing to naked photos being sent via cell phone cameras. Adolescent Substance Abuse: Part 2 By : James Beverly In the previous column, I discussed some of the more common signs and symptoms of substance abuse. This column will offer some suggestions and recommended approaches to help you deal with a substance abuse problem with your child – or better yet, to avoid having the problem altogether. Will using all of these suggestions prevent and cure substance abuse in your adolescent? Of course not. They will however give you a good base to provide effective parenting during this period where exposure to d Adolescent Substance Abuse: Part 1 By : James Beverly In this first column on adolescent substance abuse, some of the basic warning signs and symptoms of adolescent substance abuse will be presented and discussed. These are the basic general guidelines that are used by professionals and every parent should be aware of them. Princess One Day, Princess B.... Face The Next By : Dee Jay Bee “Mother nature is providential. She gives us twelve years to develop a love for our children before turning them into teenagers.” William Galvin. Letters From The Heart - A Teens Love For His Mom By : Dee Jay Bee Parenting can sometimes be so thankless, you feel so taken for granted, always take, take, take, teens can be so selfish and self centered. You complain when they are there as you are forever cleaning up, tidying up, cooking, ironing, being the taxi, handing out the never ending streams of cash. But when they have gone you are left with a whole in your heart, an void that can never be filled. Then a totally unexpected letter arrives in your mail box........ Help! There's a Teen in the House By : Shirley Price Expert in Life Style Most of the time as parents we are winging it. It a learn on the job position so there are things that you sometimes wish you had done differently but you do the best you can. There are always new challenges and non more than the teen years. PARENTS AND BACKTALK: FIVE STUNNINGLY SIMPLE WAYS TO TURN YOUR KIDS BACK TALK INTO COMMUNICATION By : Sandra Dye If you think backtalk is something you have to endure as a parent or have to control with strict limits and consequences, you are mistaken. If you follow 5 simple steps in the proper order you will dramatically reduce backtalk and become closer with your child than you ever imagined. • Connect • Calm • Listen • Limits • Fresh Start Engaging Teenage Girls in Physical Activity By : Dee Jay Bee As a society we need to be concerned with the lack of participation of teenagers in any form of physical activity, particularly girls. Obesity rates in children are on the increase and ultimately the health system will be swamped within the next few decades. Parents Share Reasons They Love Their Children By : Mr. Wisdom Parents focus on the wonderful things their children do and why they love their children. Their comments mostly focus on teenagers. Teenage Girls - Dysfunctional Menstrual Cycles By : Dee Jay Bee Teenage girls can undergo numerous disruptions to their regular menstrual cycles, many without parents knowledge. The consequences of these "abnormal periods" can lead to long term health issues including an early onset of osteoporosis. Coming of Age – Does your Daughter Feel Beautiful? By : DeAnna Lam Are you feeling beautiful regardless of your body's proximity to that of the super-models? Do you allow yourself to celebrate being a woman with movement, stretch, dance, skip, song, whatever moves you? YOUR model of womanhood is what will allow your girl to feel beautiful about herself! It may be bad news for a moment, if your messages have not been so positive so far. But the good news is that change is in your hands! Teenage Parenting: 3 Useful Ways of Helping Teens By : Joshua Nyamache Teenage parenting is a challenge especially where the teens are prone to alcohol and drugs. They get addicted and this is detrimental to their health. They require attention in correcting the addiction. Help Your Teenager Manage Their Summer Vacation By : Judie Mackie Teens are out of school for the summer and too much free time may get them into trouble. Here are some great tips to help your teenager put together a summer vacation calendar and learn how to better manage their time. Teen Danger: Vodka Eyeball Shots By : CindyTeenAdvice To get a quick high teenagers are now doing Vodka Eyeball Shots. This is dangerous and can cause blindness. This new trend is growing fast and videos of teens doing it are all over the internet now. Please taken time to read this article and talk to your teens about this before they try it. Honouring a Teenager By : Wendy Haynes, Ceremony & Family Rituals Expert It is important for teenagers to know that someone cares about what they are doing, that someone is interested in them, and that we love them. It is an awkward time for many of them, and sometimes for their parents. This recipe is made up of a good dose of honouring them, celebrating what they bring into our lives, and mixing in some snippets of wisdom as well. Helping Teens Find Their Own Solutions By : Fern Weis, Parent Coach Do you find yourself fighting the urge to say to your teen, "Been there, done that. Let me show you how it's done."? Learn six steps to help you step back and encourage them to find their own solutions. Be their guide, instead of 'the fixer', and watch them become the confident, self-sufficient adults you dream of. Cyber-Bullying and Suicide By : CindyTeenAdvice As a result of so many sites that teenagers are able to access bullying has become a huge online event. This bullying has in numerous cases lead to a teenager taking their own life to escape the pain they are experiencing. There are many signs to watch for that might prevent this from happening. Could Your Teen Be Huffing? By : CindyTeenAdvice Do you know what huffing is? Today's teenagers are doing this and many have died by doing this just one time! These items are found in most households, they are free and a quick high. Please read this and learn what this topic is all about and what you can do to prevent this from happening to your teen. Parent-Teen Communication: Bridging the Gap By : Fern Weis, Parent Coach Your teens lives in a world very different from the one you grew up in. So what do you do when he tells you that you don't understand what he's going through and stops confiding in you? There are skills that will help you be a person he can trust when there is something important to talk about. When is it time? By : Biola Mothers from my part of the world are confused about when they should start discussion with their children on puberty changes. The African is usually reluctant about such discussions. Teach Your Children Well By : Annie Fox You are your children's teacher. Teachers need to be clear on what they're teaching. Without knowing what your parenting objectives are and how to achieve them, it's unlikely that you will raise kids who reflect your values.