According to the Kaiser Family Foundation, youth between the ages of 8 and 18, spend almost 8 hours a day using media outside of school. Much research has been done on this subject, and unfortunately, there are a lot of consequences that can result from too much screen time, including: Inability to accurately read other people’s emotions Lower scores on
Read moreHave you ever found yourself excusing your teen’s disrespectful behavior? Have you said, “he’s at that age,” when he rolls his eyes at you, or “she’s very hormonal right now,” when she backtalks you and stomps out of the room? Many parents believe that rude behavior is just a passing phase of adolescence; however, new research shows that a rude
Read moreFew have a greater power than our siblings to make us feel loving, angry, confused, or sad, simply because family relationships are so emotionally and physically close. Siblings commonly fight over personal space, privacy, perceived inequality, and parental attention, and all of these arguments only increase when you add teenage hormones to the mix. Believe it or not, there are
Read moreToday’s teens don’t date like their parents did. Remember when a boy asked a girl out on a date, rang the doorbell, met her parents, and the young couple went to dinner and a movie? Remember when girls wore their boyfriend’s class ring on a chain around their neck to signify that they were “going steady”? This type of dating
Read moreAs children grow older, it is all too easy to give up on holiday traditions. Everyone’s busy schedule is crammed with extra to-do lists, parents tend to be feeling a little tired from the pressure, and teens can be less-than-enthusiastic participants in family activities. But, we encourage you to not give up on holiday traditions for two main reasons! First,
Read moreEmotional intelligence (EQ) is the ability to identify, understand, and manage our own emotions and the emotions of others, and it is a highly desired skill in the workplace. More and more, businesses are relying on references and personality assessments to measure a potential employee’s emotional intelligence, instead of just focusing on what school they attended, their grades, or their
Read moreDoes it seem like your teen has plenty to say to their friends, but nothing to say to you? It can be so frustrating to see your child share more openly with their peers and clam up when they are with you. Although this is common in adolescence, there are things that you can do to get your teens to
Read moreAs the school year approaches, many team sports are already in full swing with tryouts, open gym, and practices. High school sports offer teens a multitude of benefits, and a good coach can really make a big difference in a teen’s life. But, parents don’t always see eye-to-eye with coaches. While one parent may be concerned about a child’s lack
Read moreTeen parties are a major source of worry for parents, but they can be a really fun part of your teen’s social development. Relaxing and socializing are an important part of what makes life good. We want our teens to fit in and have fun, but we also want them to be safe and responsible. The problem is that not
Read moreYour son brings home his new friend, but the kid’s bad attitude turns you off immediately. Your daughter is suddenly hanging out with a girl who has multiple body piercings and a tattoo. The way your teen’s friend talks makes you cringe. What should you do when your teen is hanging out with kids you just don’t like? Exercise Understanding
Read moreValentine’s Day is this week, and believe it or not, with the holiday comes stress for your teen. Hyped as the most romantic day of the year, teens are susceptible to the ideas that our culture promotes. Teens love to be ‘in love’ and they also like to find out who sent what valentine to whom. While it should be
Read moreHave you made eye contact with your teen lately, or are their eyes glued to the smartphone that seems to be constantly in their hands? The Nielson Company estimates that American teenagers send and receive an average of 80 text messages per day. For many teens, text messaging is a primary form of communication. It’s a quick, easy and private
Read more“Enabling” is when well-meaning parents allow, or even encourage, behavior in their children that is inappropriate, irresponsible, destructive or dangerous. While it is normal to want to protect your children and to prevent their suffering, sometimes parents can go overboard, rescuing them from their problems or uncomfortable situations, rather than allowing them to feel the consequences of their negative behavior.
Read moreAs your child transitions from elementary school into middle and high schools, they are faced with many changes, but one of the most dramatic is the social scene. Suddenly, the kids at school are a little meaner, a little more particular about who they are hanging out with, and much more likely to form cliques. As kids navigate these changes,
Read moreStudies show that teens are more successful when they have open communication with their parents. Teens who report having good communication with their mom or dad are more likely to have better grades and less likely to engage in risky behaviors. Additionally, studies have proven that parents are their teens’ greatest influence when it comes to family values, expectations and
Read moreWhen humans are under pressure, we don’t always make the best decisions. Despite our intelligence, we are not great at considering all of the consequences of our decisions while people are staring at us waiting for our decision. This is true of adults, but it’s even more accurate in describing teens. When teens are put on the spot, they have
Read moreAs teens develop into adults, they must learn how to appropriately deal with difficult people to be successful in their lives. Difficult people are simply a fact of life – whether it’s because your personalities clash or because the person has some qualities or behaviors that irritate you. Particularly, as teens head to school again, they are bound to face
Read moreTeens are impulsive. They don’t think things through, nor do they often consider other people’s viewpoints. They are learning how to stand up for themselves, but with so little practice, they might not be the best at it yet. You may just view backtalk as annoying, but a parent’s role in stopping it is vital. Your job is to help
Read moreTeenagers today are one of the most technology-savvy generations of all time. When they are not on their tablets, they are glued to their smartphones. This technology has opened a lot of positive opportunities to our adolescents, but it also opens the possibility that they can get hurt. Social media – from networking sites to texting – give teens unprecedented
Read moreGetting angry is a normal reaction and natural emotion, but yelling, attacking someone with nasty words or judgments, getting violent, or generally reacting in an uncomfortable or out-of-control way is socially unacceptable behavior. Dealing with the emotions you feel inside – frustration, disappointment, hurt feelings – is an important skill to acquire that can help anyone throughout their personal and
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