Friendships are vitally important to teens. In adolescence, it’s developmentally appropriate for teens to try to develop more independence and create their own identity separate from their family. As they prepare to pull away from their parents, youth need the acceptance and support of their peers. In addition to offering general companionship, adolescent friendships help teens develop conflict resolution skills,
Read morePeer pressure is a normal part of life. Right or wrong, humans tend to compare themselves to each other and pressure kicks in. Sometimes that pressure can be good, such as trying to get straight A’s like the smart kid in class, and sometimes that pressure can be bad, such as trying to be as “cool” as the popular kid
Read moreIf you have a student who will be a junior or senior in high school next year, then you will likely be spending some of your summer touring colleges. Visiting a college is absolutely one of the best ways for a teen to decide whether a school is right for them or not. It can be a fun bonding experience
Read moreWhen you first become a parent, your primary role is to take care of your child’s basic needs. As your child grows, your role as a parent is constantly changing – evolving from doing everything for your child to teaching your child how to do things for themselves. By the time your child reaches adolescence, you, in effect, become your
Read moreIf you interact with teenagers on a regular basis, then you have probably already figured out that telling them what to do often backfires. Adolescents are in the process of separating from their parents, establishing their own identity, questioning authority, developing critical thinking skills, and exploring new ideas, values, and beliefs. As a result, they do not want to be
Read moreThe U.S. drug crisis is evolving in incredibly dangerous ways that parents should be aware of and share with their teenagers. A new wave of ultrapotent synthetic drugs is flooding the illicit market. These lab-made drugs can be exponentially stronger than fentanyl, frequently go undetected by standard drug tests, can come in many forms, and don’t always respond to typical
Read moreSummer is a great time for teenagers to look for employment. Of course, many teens have no idea how to actually get hired. It can be overwhelming to a young person beginning this process, but it becomes manageable if the adults in their lives can break it down for them and offer a little guidance. If you know a teen
Read moreIf you’re not aware that online gambling has become a huge problem among youth, especially boys, please read our previous blog, Gambling is Rapidly Becoming the Newest Addiction for Teens. Because it’s growing into such a difficult issue for young people, parents should discuss gambling with their children just like they do for other threats to their well-being like alcohol
Read moreToday’s children have grown up in a world dominated by technology and as a result have faced pitfalls that many of their parents never had to consider when they were growing up. The latest tempting vice is online gambling. Teens are very familiar with the explosion of apps that make it easy to bet on almost anything, ranging from sports
Read moreCheating is epidemic in high schools across America, making it a common problem teens face daily. A 2020 survey by the International Center for Academic Integrity of 70,000 high school students revealed that: Reasons that Students Cheat in School There are many reasons that high school students choose to cheat in school. Here are just a few: Many of these
Read moreIntegrity is when our conduct is aligned with our values and beliefs. What we do, say and even condone with our silence must match what we believe is right and moral. Our culture doesn’t always encourage integrity; in fact, some of our media almost seems to celebrate dishonesty and hypocrisy. But it’s a very valuable attribute, especially in successful adults.
Read moreTo be successful and happy as an adult, we need to know how to advocate for ourselves – standing up for our right to be treated fairly in a positive and honest way. If we are uncomfortable standing up for ourselves, people tend to dismiss our opinions or ignore our needs. If we are too aggressive in pushing our way,
Read moreBoundaries in a relationship define personal limits regarding your time, resources, emotions, and physical space. Our boundaries teach others how to treat us – what we are willing and not willing to accept in a relationship. Our boundaries help us take care of ourselves and build trust, safety and respect with others. Setting limits allows us to determine how we
Read moreIn February 2026, the Pew Research Center published a report about teens’ views and experiences with artificial intelligence (AI). The Center surveyed 1,458 U.S. teens and their parents online in the Fall of 2025 to develop a better understanding of how youth are using AI and what impact they see it having on their lives. How Youth Use Chatbots While
Read moreFailure is a normal part of life, but we tend to fear it. We wonder how it will define us, what other people will think about us, how we will recover, and whether we will ever be successful. In addition, our culture teaches youth to focus on how they look in the eyes of others. This type of focus causes
Read moreThe average reading scores of American high school seniors has significantly declined over the last two decades. For example, the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) found that reading scores for 12th graders were 10 points lower in 2024 than they were in 1992. In fact, 32% of students scored below the “basic level” for reading, which means that nearly a
Read moreYour teen can code in JAVA, but can’t cook a meal. They have thousands of followers on their social media, but can’t make eye contact with people in real life. If these statements resonate with you, then you might need to develop a plan to prepare your teenager for adulthood. “Adulting” is an informal term used by younger generations to
Read moreIt feels very rewarding and empowering – not to mention financially beneficial – to be able to take on basic do-it-yourself (DIY) projects around a home. But these are not skills that are taught in school or with a special class. Parents should take the time to equip their teens with the knowledge and ability to handle everyday maintenance tasks.
Read moreBeing able to handle emergency situations calmly and confidently is an important life skill and crucial for teens to learn before they are out on their own. Every high school student should know basic first aid. These valuable life skills are the difference between panic and action when something goes wrong, so parents should take the time to discuss the
Read moreThere are some basic things that teens need to know but that adults tend to take for granted and skip for discussion. Hygiene is one of them. We taught our little ones to wash their hands after they use the bathroom and how to wash their body in the bathtub, so we think these skills just continue or translate easily
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