Privacy and Personal Time – Why Are They Imp...

As a parent you want to keep lines of communication between yourself and your teen open. However, they may not be very forthcoming with details about their friends, what’s going on at school, or in their life in general. They want their privacy and personal time. Why are they important to your teen and how can you honor their privacy and still keep them talking to you? More than anything, your teen needs to know that...

Divorce and Teenagers...

Divorce is a difficult thing for a couple to go through. When there are children involved, it is much more difficult. Young children may have a hard time understanding what’s going on. Teenagers are more aware of the logistics of the situation, but that doesn’t mean that it’s not hard on them, too. Teenagers from broken homes are more likely to have problems at school. They may also act out at home, or...

Teens and Lies – What Steps to Take...

Nothing erodes trust between a parent and teenager as much as lying. There may be feelings of anger toward the teen when a parent realizes they’ve been lied to. Even though teens and lies seem to go hand-in-hand at times, you want to know what steps to take to help your teen stop lying. There may be many reasons why teenagers lie. They could have fallen in with bad influences and turn to lying to fit in. They may also...

How to Talk to Your Kids about Alcohol and Drug Ab...

Even though you may not think your child is old enough, you may want to learn how to talk to them about alcohol and drug abuse at an early age rather than waiting. If you wait too long, it may be too late. Every year more and more children begin experimenting with drugs and alcohol, which could lead to a lifelong problem with substance abuse. If you begin telling children how you feel about drug and alcohol use while...

The Short-Term and Long-Term Effects of Alcohol in...

Quite often, if someone is concerned about a loved one and alcohol abuse, they are concerned about an adult. However, it is possible these days that the person involved is a child. You may want to know the short-term and long-term effects of alcohol in children for future reference. Hopefully you’ll never need the information, but it’s good to have just in case. Children that start using alcohol are four times...

Do You Know Your Teen’s Friends?...

We hope, as parents, that what we’ve taught our children will be the guiding force behind them as they become teenagers. Unfortunately, that isn’t always the case, no matter how well we think we did. Before long, they begin to listen more to friends than to their parents. Do you know your teen’s friends, and why is it important that you do? While it’s important to encourage your teens to have...

Need to Get Closer to Your Teenager?...

At a time when it seems like families are being torn apart, it’s important to get closer to your teenager. How on earth do you do that when they’re changing every day? The following ideas and tips may be just what you need to get closer to your teen and realize that they really are wonderful. As pre-teens reach their teenage years, you may feel like you’re revisiting their toddler years. They try to run from...

When to Give Privacy and When to Interfere?...

You expect your children and teens to respect your privacy. And as a parent, you want to be respectful of theirs, as well. Sometimes, however, it’s hard to know when to give privacy and when to interfere. If you’re not comfortable about the amount of time your teen spends on the internet, it may be time to look into what they’re doing while online. You would probably feel like your privacy was invaded if...