As we move to the issue of guiding our teens through healthy management of their smart phones and other digital devices, we are now facing BY FAR the biggest change to dating dynamics since we were kids. When I was a teen, if I wanted to communicate with a girlfriend, Read more…
If you have not yet heard about vaping or “juuling,” you haven’t been paying close attention to what’s happening with teens and pre-teens today. Yes, I said pre-teens. Vaping (sometimes referred to by its most popular device brand: “Juul”) refers to using an electronic device to vaporize a special liquid Read more…
(This is the third installment in a series I introduced here: Guiding Teens Through Five Major Dating Dynamics) Today’s post is directly intended for parents of boys. However, there may certainly be value in parents of girls using these ideas to help your daughter frame healthy expectations of how she Read more…
(This is the second installment in a series introduced here: Guiding Teens Through Five Major Dating Dynamics) Whether we love them or hate them, whether or not they are expressly spoken or written, whether we are adults, adolescents, or children, rules are a part of our everyday lives. Rules offer Read more…
(This post is the first installment of a series I introduced here: Guiding Teens Through Five Major Dating Dynamics) Talking with our kids and teens about sex and issues related to sexuality can be an uncomfortable and daunting challenge. Uncomfortable for parents. Uncomfortable for teens and preteens. Fine. It can Read more…
Your teen wants to start dating. But is she/he ready? Are you? Does she know what boundaries she needs to follow? Does he understand how to conduct himself as a gentleman? Have you discussed sexual morals and guidelines? Curfew? Budget? Phone limits? Driving rules? Drinking issues? As a professional teen Read more…
1. Specific correction of where they are off-track. Giving them generalized or vague feedback about how they are “screwing up,” “disappointing you,” “missing the mark,” etc. is not helpful to your daughter or son. It is unclear, and may even further discourage your teen. Instead, be very clear about where Read more…
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 counting on their inspiration to come from teachers, coaches, and Read more…
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 have warm, affectionate personalities. So it has always been natural Read more…
Searching for “parenting” in the books section of Amazon yields a mind-boggling list of over SIXTY THOUSAND results! There are enough competing opinions and voices out there to make your head spin. But what if those differing parenting perspectives aren’t just “out there,” but right in your own home? What Read more…