The tradition of New Year Resolutions stretches back thousands of years. It’s a perfect time to reflect on what is, and is not, working in our lives and consider how to improve our lifestyle moving forward. If your teen expresses interest in making a resolution, here are a few good ideas: Stay Unplugged After Bedtime Researchers have proven that teens
Read moreFor many families, there is just an assumption that our children will attend college. It seems like the next logical step after high school. The problem is that not all high school students are ready for college. In fact, statistics show that only about 60% of students at four-year institutions complete a bachelor’s degree within six years of enrolling. In
Read moreTeenagers learning to drive is a rite of passage and can definitely be an exciting time in their lives. It can also be a very stressful time for parents, who are worried about their teen’s safety and surprised by the cost of insuring them! Teen Driving Safety Statistics Teens are very expensive to insure because they are at a high
Read moreWith summer in full swing, teens are eager to hang out with friends, go on dates, and enjoy activities outside the house. As a result, it’s a perfect time to set an appropriate curfew for your son or daughter. Curfews are actually an important part of developing responsibility in your teen, and regardless of what your child may say, teens
Read more“It’s not MY fault!” “That’s not fair!” If you have a child, you have likely heard these statements yelled in your home at some point. These are common reactions to difficulties for children. The problem is that we can unintentionally encourage this type of thinking, which can lead our kids to adapt a victim mentality – when a person tends
Read moreCurrent young adults, between the ages of 18 to 34 years old, have a real debt problem. According to a survey by NBC News, released in April 2018: 78% of young adults (age 18-34) have some form of debt. 25% are over $30,000 in debt. 11% are over $100,000 in debt. The majority of their debt is credit card debt,
Read moreTechnology is an integral part of our lives, and especially the lives of our youth. Most families have multiple devices – computers, laptops, tablets, phones, Fitbits, and more – and despite our best intentions, it can quickly seem like everyone is staring at a screen all the time. While all of this technology definitely can make our lives easier and
Read moreIn the past, jobs in the United States were typically labeled as either white collar or blue collar. White collar employees referred to salaried professional workers whose work is knowledge-based and non-routine, does not involve manual labor, and does not require the wearing of a uniform or protective clothes. Blue collar employees referred to wage-earning personnel whose work involves physical
Read moreA new study, “The Decline in Adult Activities Among U.S. Adolescents, 1976–2016,” published in September 2017 in the journal Child Development, found that youth are postponing activities that have typically been considered a rite of passage into adulthood. Some of these activities, such as having sex and drinking alcohol, are risks we want teens to delay, and many are delighted
Read moreThe definition of “accountable” is taking responsibility for one’s actions, and it is something every parent hopes their teen will be. When parents teach their kids to take responsibility for their decisions and actions, they help them develop into conscientious human beings and responsible citizens of the community. Without accountability, teenagers blame others, refuse to follow rules they find unfair,
Read moreIt is absolutely normal for teenagers to be self-centered. Adolescence is a time of rapid change, and being focused on themselves is actually part of the development that helps teens separate from their families and form their own unique identity. All teenagers are still trying to figure out who they are and what they are capable of. This development stage
Read moreIt is an exciting, heart-wrenching, and overwhelming time when you send your teen off to college for the first time! There are so many things to pack, prepare, and plan. And there are so many changes coming to your lives. As a parent, you will likely feel the need to prepare your teen for what lies ahead. That might mean
Read moreA first job for a teen can be a really exciting and scary entry into the adult world! A job can help teenagers develop responsibility, gain confidence, learn new skills, obtain increased autonomy, achieve new accomplishments, develop work experience, and become more independent from their parents. Landing their first job is a huge step in any teenager’s life and worth
Read moreMost parents, teachers, coaches, relatives, and other loving adults want to encourage teens on a path to a good future. And in fact, research supports this idea with studies showing that teens whose parents talk to them about their future tend to be more successful later in life. The problem tends to be how to approach the discussion. Many well-meaning
Read moreEvery parent of a teen has heard or will hear these words at some point in time: “But everyone else is doing it!” The pressure to fit in, or to do what others are doing, can be powerful and hard to resist, especially for teenagers. Peer pressure can influence teens in many ways. Sometimes it can be positive, such as
Read moreSummer break can be filled with new opportunities and lots of fun for many families. But summer also can exaggerate irritations that parents and teens have with one another as they spend more time together. Don’t let these problems ruin the whole break! Here are some of the most common complaints parents have about teens over the summer and some
Read moreA part-time job is an excellent and constructive use of teens’ free time during the summer break. The benefits of summer employment include: earning spending money, obtaining valuable work experience for a resume, learning time management skills, developing new confidence and independence, gaining workplace skills to be more marketable in the future, and providing the opportunity for your teen to
Read moreAs teens begin their summer break from school, many are eager for more freedom. They want to stay up later, have less supervision, spend more time with friends, enjoy later curfews, and have more independence. It can be hard for us, as parents, to know if our teen is making a reasonable request, if the privileges are appropriate for our
Read moreIf you have a student in their junior or senior year of high school right now, 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 for families,
Read moreObtaining a driver’s license is a primary life skill for teenagers leading them to independent living, but many teens are shirking this responsibility. In the past, getting a driver’s license was seen as a rite of passage. Teens waited eagerly for their 16th birthday to gain a new level of freedom. This is no longer the case, and safety experts
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