Facebook is the most utilized social networking site world wide with more than 845 million users. The magic age for kids to be considered Facebook legal is 13. But of Facebook’s current users, an estimated 7.5 million are actually under the age of 13. Now more than ever parents need to arm themselves with information about how to keep their children safe on social media sites like Facebook that ... read more
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Bonding Activities With Your Teens
When our kids get older, it becomes harder and harder to connect with them. But as parents, it’s ... read more
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Supporting Our Friends With Autism
I have a close friend whose child was diagnosed with Autism when he was in preschool. Over the ... read more
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13 Crafts For Your Teen Girl
Last week my oldest daughter turned 13. That’s right, 13! She’s the craftiest girl I know and is ... read more
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Does My Child Need Therapy?
I think my child needs therapy. Do you think my child needs therapy? How do I know if my child ... read more
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Child Sexual Abuse: Shine A Light And Let The Whole World See
Last month, a young man in my community was arrested on charges of child molestation. Countless ... read more
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Back To School Tips For Your Teen
When our kids were in elementary school it was ... read more
Bonding Activities With Your Teens
When our kids get older, it becomes harder and ... read more
Quality Time With Teens
When my kids were younger, it seemed like they ... read more
Latest from the Blog
Back To School Tips For Your Teen
When our kids were in elementary school it was obvious what we had to do to get them ready for the new school year. Registration. Check. Meet the teacher night. Check. School supply shopping. Check. Pictures on the first day. Check. You know the drill! If you’re like me, by the time your kids reached middle school you had the whole routine down to a science.
Then they hit junior high. And high school. And things changed. Those same kids that needed us to help them get back to school when they were little overnight became, dare I say, INDEPENDENT.
It’s at this point that parents like us have a decision to make. How are we going to approach our teen’s new found independence? In my experience, parents typically choose one of three paths to follow as our teens mature to young adults.
With the first we allow our kids all the independence they want. Letting them make their own decisions and essentially letting them spread their wings and fly. While we continue to support them financially and offer guidance when asked, we begin treating them much more like adults.
Parents along the second path stay heavily involved in all aspects of their teen’s life and try to manage all of their decisions despite their teen’s likely resistance.
And the third? It’s the path in the middle. Somewhere between allowing your teen full independence and you keeping total control. With this path, you slowly give up your control as your teen moves towards their eventual independence.
Personally and professionally, I like the path in the middle. Teenagers are still children who need nurturing and guidance from their parents. But they are also at a time in their development where they need to express their individuality and learn to make decisions on their own. [Read More...]