Category Archives: dynamics of adolescence
Family Inspiration
As parents, we should aim to inspire our kids whenever we can. It isn’t easy. It takes purposeful effort. It takes seizing the right moments. It often takes discipline. But our kids, from infants to teens, need our inspiration. And … Continue reading
4 Reasons Teens Need Healthy Physical Affection from Parents
My own teenage son is currently 14 and getting closer to looking eye to eye with me every day. (Seems like he’s grown a foot since we took this pic six or seven months ago.) My wife and I both … Continue reading
Three Ways to Help Your Teen Grow Toward Adulthood
As parents who love our kids, our aim is to raise them to become fully capable and responsible adults who will strive to make a positive impact on the world around them. Right? And that sort of theoretical statement sounds … Continue reading
Encouraging Kindness in Our Kids
“Evan Almighty” has been one of my family’s favorite movies for quite a while. If you’ve never seen this heartwarming family film about God (Morgan Freeman) choosing a modern day Noah named Evan Baxter (Steve Carell), you really should watch … Continue reading
Six Ways To Get Your Teen To Listen To You
Tired of feeling like you’re talking to a brick wall when you try to communicate with your teen? Ranging from fun to fundamental, here are six different ways to shake up the old routine that isn’t working, and help begin … Continue reading
Unplug
Do you ever just feel like your teen lives a world away from you these days? Oh, she still sits at the dinner table with you (sometimes). And he still sleeps in the same old bedroom in the same home … Continue reading
Parenting with Confidence in a Technolescent World: Part 3
Now that we have covered some overall dynamics and guidelines regarding parenting your teens in relation to their digital world, let’s take a quick look at some of the major players in the social media app world today: As of … Continue reading
Parenting with Confidence in a Technolescent World: Part 2
So, picking up where we left off last week… What specific guidelines should we use with preteens and young teens? Utilize parental device checks as needed. While this does not mean constantly confiscating phones or other devices, it does mean … Continue reading
Parenting with Confidence in a Technolescent World: Part 1
In a WHAT kind of world? Technology has now become a primary medium for the social dynamics of adolescence from middle school through college and beyond. Parents MUST understand that digital social media is more than just an important area … Continue reading
Six “Grades” That Are More Important Than English
In my last post, I shared some ideas for helping make homework time a more peaceful and successful part of your family life. In reflecting upon the importance of academic success for our teens, it occurs to me that there … Continue reading
