Author Archives: middleearthnj

Teaching Teens to Cope with Loneliness

Everyone feels lonely sometimes, but persistent loneliness is a real epidemic among this generation of youth. Teens today are struggling with depression, anxiety and loneliness at higher rates than any previous generation.  Young people who have no coping skills for loneliness are more likely to make poor decisions in life. Teens who learn that loneliness is a temporary feeling, and

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Helping Teens Handle Rejection

Rejection can be incredibly painful, especially for adolescents who are developmentally wired to try to fit in and belong. Teens have less life experience to know how to cope with rejection, and are more prone to feel embarrassed about almost anything, so rejection can feel more like an “end of my life” failure. Rejection in a teen’s life can be

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Transitioning from your Child’s Decision-Maker to your Teen’s Guide

When a child hits adolescence (beginning about 12-years-old), it’s time for parents to stop making decisions for them and start making decisions with them. Transitioning from your child’s decision-maker to your teen’s guide is not easy for any parent, but it’s necessary to maintain a good relationship with your teen as well as prepare them for adulthood. When our children were little, we managed

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What Should Parents Do If Their Teen Does Not Want To Get Their Driver’s License?

In the past, getting a driver’s license was seen as an exciting rite of passage. Teens waited eagerly for their 16th birthday to gain a new level of freedom. Nowadays, more and more teenagers are delaying the process of obtaining their driver’s license. According to a 2020 study, nearly 40% of teens delayed getting their license by one to two years, and

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How to Raise Teens To Be Resilient

Resilience is one of the greatest predictors of a person’s success and is associated with greater satisfaction in life. Resilient people cope with adversity in a positive way or quickly rebound from challenges. When stress or trauma strikes, a resilient person still experiences anger, grief and pain, but they are able to keep functioning — both physically and psychologically. Resilient

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When You Don’t Like Your Teen’s Boyfriend / Girlfriend

It’s a normal rite of passage for teens to date, and while it can cause parents some worry, dating helps young people learn to get along with others, communicate, negotiate, make decisions, and learn to be assertive. But parental concern can become a bigger issue if you genuinely don’t like your teen’s choice in dating partner. It’s important to remember

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Parenting a Defiant Teen

During adolescence, youth are trying to figure out who they are, establish their independence, and express themselves all while dealing with significant hormone fluctuations and peer pressure. Every child handles these challenges differently. Unfortunately, in some teens, this process can cause them to act out in an angry, argumentative, withdrawn, or rebellious manner. Parenting a defiant teen is hard, and

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Impact of Artificial Intelligence on Youth

Artificial Intelligence (AI) has made it much easier to produce photos, videos and content online, but that also means that it’s easier to produce fake or misleading content. American teenagers get most of their information online, and especially from social media, which means they are coming across AI-generated content all the time. Recent studies by Common Sense Media (Jan 2025

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Pros and Cons of Teens Having a Part-Time Job

More teens obtained part-time employment in 2024 than in any previous year since 2008. Most believe the increased teen employment last year was due in part to an increasing demand for labor, as well as high inflation and the need to help out the family with rising costs. Experts believe the reasons the teen employment rate was previously so low

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Taking a Smartphone Break Changes Your Brain

New research published last week in the journal Computers in Human Behavior showed that a short period away from your smartphone can lead to noticeable shifts in brain activity. Scientists discovered that just 72 hours of smartphone restriction altered activity in brain regions linked to reward and self-control. These changes suggest that our constant connection to smartphones may have a more

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Debunking the Common Myths of Eating Disorders

Today begins Eating Disorders Awareness Week. It’s estimated that 30 million Americans (20 million women and 10 million men) have struggled with an eating disorder at some point over their lifetime. Eating disorders can affect people of every age, sex, gender, race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic group. They are a serious illness; in fact, eating disorders are the mental illness with the

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What To Do When Your Child’s Favorite Celebrity is Involved in a Scandal

Celebrity adoration among tweens and teens is a pretty natural part of growing up. During adolescence, youth are trying to develop their own identity, so they actively seek out role models and media figures for cues on how to look and act. Youth are attracted to celebrities because they lead exciting lifestyles, are talented, and have stylists that make them

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Identifying “Red Flags” in a Teen’s Behavior

Teenagers are frequently stereotyped as moody, rebellious, or lazy, but these preconceptions of adolescence portrayed in the media are often inaccurate. Teenagers, whose brains and bodies are going through rapid development, need more sleep than ever before and are understandably more sensitive to criticism, eager to gain approval, and keen to create their own identity. Their behaviors are more a

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How to Tell, and What You Should Do, if Your Teen Is using AI to Complete Homework

There are tons of homework helpers available online that are using Open AI’s technology, allowing students to use artificial intelligence to complete assignments with just a few button clicks. It is estimated that approximately half of high school students use artificial intelligence (AI) in their studies and homework. The new access to this technology raises many questions about the education

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Why, and What to Do When, Your College Student Acts Selfish / Judgmental / Withdrawn During Their Break

When a child goes off to college, parents are left with an empty nest. For them, everything stayed the same, but there is an empty space left by their child’s absence. They miss them deeply. When school breaks come, parents are excited to see their student and for everything to feel normal again. Imagine their disappointment when their student acts

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