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Peer pressure happens all the time. It can be non-threatening, such as when your child is urged to dress a certain way or have a certain trendy hairstyle, or it can be dangerous, such as the pressure on him to use drugs or drink alcohol. Kids have a way of making other kids feel bad for not conforming to the group ideal of “cool” or “normal,” and the ramifications of giving in to peer pressure can be detrimental. It’s tough for kids to stand out from the pack and refuse to do what everyone else is doing, but you have…
When problems arise between a teenager and parents, the teenager’s solution to the conflict may be to remove herself physically. If you hear threats about moving out of your home when your teen feels angry or frustrated, your response should be careful and measured. While you don’t want to push your child into anything rash, it’s also important not to allow your teenager to manipulate you with threats.
Setting consequences for teens is more difficult than doing the same for a younger age group. Teens have more complicated lives, are willing to experiment with new behaviors and are less likely to feel threatened by the old-fashioned “timeout” that might have worked a few years ago. Consequences for teens should benefit both the teen and the parents by teaching the teen a lesson as well as what to do the next time she feels the urge to misbehave.
Gifted teenagers face immense challenges as they transition from childhood to adulthood. Acutely aware of the differences between themselves and others, many gifted teenagers feel isolated and alone. They may struggle in school, worry about the world as a whole and battle with authority figures. Although parenting a gifted teenager is often tough, your support is vital to your child’s success.
If your teen is becoming a permanent fixture on the family couch, it's time to get her up and moving. Whether she's close to graduation and has yet to come up with a career plan or she's still in the throes of high school and won't join any clubs or sports, there's no doubt that getting her motivated is going to be a challenge. To help your cause, try a few tactics -- all that involve your love, attention and persistence.
Carrying a purse is yet another way for a teenage girl to express herself. With the plethora of patterns, sizes and designs available, choosing a purse is made easy. Larger bags hold additional items like school essentials, while a tiny satchel is lightweight and perfect for the basics. The key to finding the right purse style for you is taking your size into consideration, thinking about your daily schedule and finding a purse that coordinates with most things in your closet.
The media, and the images they promote, can exert significant influence on kids and teens. Teen magazines, with their emphasis on dating advice, dieting tips, make-up and fashion, can have a profound psychological effect on a child going through a difficult adolescence. For example, each year, thousands of teens starve themselves in an attempt to look as thin as the models and celebrities in their favorite magazines. If you're concerned about these magazines' effect on your daughter, take time now start a discussion.
Because hindsight is 20/20, it's easy for you to see that school is of the utmost importance. You understand that your daughter’s school performance today can have a major impact on her future from the colleges that accept her to the career path she chooses. Not caring about her schoolwork or grades in the present can mean no medical school for a teen who dreams of caring for sick kids, or no law school for the teen who wants to stand at the front of a courtroom and send criminals to jail. What's essential is to help your teen understand…
When picking your perfect leather jacket, it’s important to stay true to your personal style and select a piece that complements your favorite outfits. A leather jacket can make or break your look, but choosing the right one for your style is easier than you might think. Whether you rock feminine, edgy or bohemian apparel, the perfect jacket is right at your fingertips if you know what to look for.
Teenage boys have busy lives -- school, work, sports and social activities take center stage and often put them in the spotlight. Because of this, it's important that guys dress appropriately for the occasion and the season. The key to looking good is knowing how clothes should fit, and pairing that sensibility with a good mix of classic and contemporary styles. By simply starting with the essentials and adding in a few trends, teenage boys can feel confident and secure in any situation.
The Centers for Disease Control reports that almost half of all new STDs reported each year are contracted by high school students. In addition, almost 80 percent of sexually active teens did not use birth control pills during the previous three months while having sex and 39 percent of respondents did not use condoms. Given such statistics, you may be prompted to double your efforts to prevent your teenager from having sexual relations. Honesty about your desires and demonstrating your own values regarding the topic are key factors to reducing or preventing sexual activity in your teen, according to the…
While you might not be able to pry your teenage daughter off of her cell phone, the minute you ask her a question, she might clam up. Teen girls often have the gift of gab, but that doesn't mean your teen will be willing to tell all to you as her parent. If you want your teen to open up about her feelings, you'll have to do more than ask her about her day. Instead, setting the proper atmosphere and knowing the right topics can help loosen her tongue and start talking.
Anger is a perfectly normal emotion your teen might feel from time to time. She might feel angry that you won’t let her go on an unsupervised trip with her friends to a foreign country on spring break and she might feel angry when she receives a less than perfect grade on an assignment she worked really hard on. This is normal anger. However, when your teen is angry at the world on a regular basis and nothing you say or do seems to help, it might be time to encourage her to seek counseling.
Reading the Bible is important for Christians --both Catholics and Protestants -- as it provides information on how to live following Christ’s example. According to an article by Monsignor Daniel Kutys on the United States Conference of Catholic Bishops, many Catholics don’t read their Bibles, limiting their Scripture reading to the missal and pew materials during Mass. Teens who develop an interest in reading and studying Scripture can create a habit that lasts a lifetime.
Lessen teenage drama by learning to anticipate issues that are near and dear to your daughter's heart. Boys, dating, texting, social networking and her appearance are only a small sampling of the issues that cause most friction in households inhabited by teen girls. Be prepared by setting rules early and sticking to them so both you and your teen know what to expect.
In a tight job market volunteer experience can make the difference between getting a job and remaining unemployed. There are a variety of volunteer opportunities available to teens in Albuquerque, New Mexico. Teens can look for an opportunity in the field in which they hope to have a career or try out several positions as they search for something that interests them. Age restrictions may limit opportunities for younger teens.
Even with massive legislative action and public health campaigns to prevent tobacco use among young people, every day nearly 3,500 young people under the age of 18 try smoking for the first time, according to the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids 2013 fact sheet. Even parents who take all the appropriate tobacco-prevention measures can discover that their child is one of the 1,000 kids who become regular smokers every day. Parents often wonder what makes teens decide to smoke cigarettes and what makes them choose to continue smoking in the face of so much information about the dangers.
Christian teens are as sexually active as their non-Christian peers, according to a survey released September 28, 2011, by the Barna Group, a nonpartisan, nondenominational research organization that studies faith and spirituality in America. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that the teen pregnancy rate for 2010 is 34.2 births per 1,000. This means some Christian families will deal with a teen pregnancy and will seek to do so from a Christian perspective.
While parents need to make sure a teen daughter stays safe, one of a teen’s biggest challenges is moving toward independence and maturity. If these two goals collide, problems can occur. Teenagers may use a variety of methods to deal with issues and confrontations with parents, a common one being the silent treatment. The right response to silent treatment will help teach your daughter a better way to resolve differences.
A teen's brain isn't wired to help him focus on respect, consideration or thoughtfulness. Instead, it's up to parents to make teens aware of appropriate behavior and hold them accountable when they are out of line, according to information from Dr. Wes Crenshaw, a licensed psychologist for couples and families, in an article on the Lawrence Journal-World website. Dealing with a rude teenager ranks as an unfavorable task for many parents. However, unless you meet the issue head-on, you risk raising a teen who will become a rude and disrespectful adult.
Most teens love to shop. It's a time to hang out with friends and check out the latest fashions and electronics, but what if you're the parent of a teen who has shopping issues? If your teen overindulges, steals or stresses out at the very mention of going to the mall, it might be time to have a serious talk.
New Jersey has hundreds of vacation options for moms and daughters in search of a fun getaway, so narrowing down your choice can be a challenge. The key: Choose a destination that taps into your teen's interests while providing a mix of enjoyable activities for you to bond over and some strategic down time for heart-to-heart conversations. A handful meet those qualifications.
Your teenage daughter's main goal is likely to be achieving independence. As part of this process, she may withdraw from you, appear reluctant to communicate and rebel against your authority. Regardless of her behavior, you need to stay involved in her life and offer her support and advice. She still needs your guidance, even if she doesn't act like it. By encouraging her to focus on specific goals and helping her reach them, you can boost her confidence, give her a greater sense of independence and keep the bond between you both strong.
Encouraging individuality in your teens can be challenging when the media bombards youth with certain idealized images Peer pressure doesn't help either. Part of the challenge is drawing the line between expected behavior and personal self-expression. The other part involves encouraging your teen to say no to risky behaviors that can cause problems for her, her friends and even her family.
The adolescent years can be tumultuous for both teens and their parents. The diagnosis of a life-changing disease such diabetes can escalate normal teenage emotions to new heights. Even if you feel overwhelmed by your teen's fluctuating feelings, it's important that you offer him support and build up his confidence. Help your teen take control of his diabetes and show him that, while his life may be changed, it's for the better. Diabetics can live long, healthy and happy lives. Seek counseling if you are unable to cope with your teen's medical care or mental health.
Adolescence is a time during which teens learn more about themselves through personal experiences and interactions with peers. Teens are influenced by peers both directly and indirectly, says the website Kids Health. Positive peer interaction influences teens to excel at sports, academics and in social circles, while negative peer pressure can lead to poor behavioral choices. Parents can work with teens to empower them to make wise choices, even in the face of negative peer pressure.
No one is perfect, including you. You know it and your tween knows it, which is why you need to get into the habit of apologizing to your tween when it is called for. Offering your sincere apology to your preteen doesn’t mean you are no longer in control. Showing your tween that you are confident enough to own up to your mistakes and your imperfections helps him to understand that apologies are a vital part of life. When you are willing to put aside your pride and say “I’m sorry” to your tween, he learns that no matter what,…
When a sweet young child suddenly turns into a volatile pre-teen it can come as something of a shock to her parents, but it's normal for 12 year olds to be moody, irrational, selfish, sarcastic and bad-tempered. In most cases the bad moods come and go, but some pre-teens seem to permanently revert to toddlerhood. By learning how to manage a child's mood swings, parents can make this stage a little easier for the whole family.
While some bullies are content to steal your teen's lunch money, girl bullies operate in a different manner. Gone are the physical threats of violence -- now it's all about verbal warfare. Female teens often use words and threats to tear down their opponent, which can be even more detrimental than the loss of a couple of dollars at lunch. If your daughter is involved in either side of the trashing equation, talk to her about her part in it and then report the behavior to the proper authorities before it goes too far.
Homework rules lay out your expectations for your teen during study time, potentially reducing arguments along the way. By tailoring the rules to your teen's habits and problem areas, you push her toward better study skills and help her finish the work on time. With your teen's input, you can establish guidelines to make better use of study time.
It is practically a daily occurrence for teens to roll their eyes, mutter under their breath, and wish they could hurry up and graduate so they can move out and be on their own. Teens are notorious for wanting more independence than they get, but this type of behavior is nothing out of the ordinary. You needn’t worry about your teen’s behavior unless it surpasses typical and becomes uncontrollable. Screaming fits, enraged behavior and the inability to control your teen’s behavior all require parental intervention.
Teaching teens about etiquette might be met with eye rolls and a few audible sighs. Etiquette can seem like an outdated concept to modern teens. Still, it's a skill that can help your teen in his dating life now and eventually can have an effect on his professional life. As Dr. Alex J. Packer, author of "How Rude! The Teenagers' Guide to Good Manners," points out, solid etiquette makes your teen stand out in a crowd. Find fun ways to teach etiquette and your teen may be more open to minding his p's and q's.
As a parent, you want to see your child act with compassion and show empathy to others. They may need a bit of a push and some guidance, though, to learn how to show others these qualities. Teaching compassion and empathy to children can start when children are very young, according to Denver-based psychologist and author of “Peaceful Parenting,” Nancy Buck. However, if you haven't discussed these ideas and values with your children until the teen years, it's not too late, Buck advises. While the sooner you start mentioning these qualities as a family value, the better; you can still…
In many churches, the liturgical calendar determines what Scriptures are used for the pastor’s message, what colors drape the altar and other furniture on the platform and what music is used in the service. A pastor or parent could teach a teen about the liturgical year to help them more fully understand church traditions and rituals.
Divorce isn’t pretty, even when it’s amicable. When you take your teen daughter and her feelings into consideration, your divorce isn’t just about you and your soon-to-be ex. It’s about your daughter, her feelings and emotions and her fear of the unknown. You might wonder whether the way you raised her before your divorce should change now that your family dynamic has changed. While you cannot know how she will react and whether your parenting style needs to change, you do need to know what is appropriate and what is not when raising your daughter during your divorce.
Although the excessive use of cell phones and TVs simply seems like a waste of time, limitless access to the electronic devices might have additional consequences. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teens who use electronics for an average of seven hours per day run the risk of developing eating and sleeping disorders or struggling with attention difficulties and obesity. Develop ways to cut your teenagers’ use of electronics to reduce those risks.
It’s heartbreaking to watch your teen as she stares despairingly in the mirror critiquing her body for being too short, too tall, too chubby or too thin -- even if you find yourself doing it to your own reflection on a regular basis. Your teen is bright, beautiful and perfect exactly how she is, but no matter how many times you reassure her of this fact, she simply doesn’t get it. Unhappiness with her appearance can be damaging in a number of ways; she could develop an eating disorder, low self-esteem or even self-loathing.
In any given month, 39 percent of teens admit to using alcohol, and emergency rooms are seeing some 189,000 visits each year associated with underage alcohol use, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you discover alcohol under your teen's bed, you might feel angry or fearful and worried as to what your teen is doing. Now that you've made the discovery, you can help your teen to stay away from alcohol, as well as teach him the dangers of ignoring that advice.
When you think about talking with your teen about tough subjects, the idea is enough to make you squirm or hope that someone else does the job for you. But allowing your teen to learn about hot topics like sex, drugs, relationships and friends from anyone other than yourself is doing your teen a disservice. Instead, make sure you cover the big topics with a frank attitude and an open conversation. That way, your teen doesn't need to go elsewhere to learn more about the important stuff.
Depression is an illness that affects how your teen acts and behaves. She might also lose interest in activities she formerly enjoyed. Your teen might benefit from seeing a psychiatrist to address her problems. A psychiatrist is a medical doctor who diagnoses and treats mental, emotional and behavioral problems. It is essential that the psychiatrist that your teenager daughter sees is one that fits her needs and uses effective treatment methods.
Gender development does not refer to the physical development of sexual organs; it is the formation of sexual identity and gender-related character traits. The process starts early in life, with a boy baby becoming aware of his own genitals and a girl becoming aware of hers, at around 9 months old. Throughout childhood, boys and girls become more aware of their gender, notice the differences between the genders and generally assume typical gender behaviors. Pre-adolescents are particularly interested in pregnancy, birth and gender roles and are easily influenced by the media and their peers on sexual issues.
Your family will never be completely free of conflict, and that’s something you learn to live with. However, when your teen dislikes his father, the conflict can grow out of hand. Whether your teen dislikes his father because of your divorce or his father’s inability to be there for him, or he simply doesn’t agree with his dad’s views on life or anything else, you have to learn how to deal with this conflict without further driving your teen away from your family.
Teens approaching adulthood have a range of challenges to deal with -- and so do their parents. If a teen and her parents are prepared for the transition from adolescence to adulthood, the difficult issues are less likely to have a negative impact on their relationship. Separating from the family, becoming financially independent and choosing a career path are common issues faced by teens transitioning into adulthood.
While it may seem that dealing with teen sexuality issues is an uncomfortable subject, the experts at the American Academy of Pediatrics’ Healthy Children website note that parents are teens’ primary go-to source for information and support. From dating and relationships to gender identity issues, an array of issues exists that parents should be knowledgeable about when it comes to teens and sex.
With rolled eyes and one-word answers, it's hard to tell if anything you say to your teen is really getting through. After all, distractions, misunderstandings and other family members can all muddle the message you're trying to tell your teen. If you really want to know if you're getting through, remove all distractions and work to ensure that your teen hears you loud and clear. Then, extend the same courtesy for when your teen needs you to listen, too.
When teens feel stressed or angry, they might resort to sarcasm -- an unsophisticated, ineffective and often offensive way of communicating. While your child's lack of self-control might tempt you to fire back one of your own sarcastic barbs, it's more productive to focus on your role as a mentor. It's your job to address the sarcasm and teach your teen less abrasive, more successful ways to communicate.
Teens can sometimes get into mischief that is harmless fun. Unfortunately, a game of truth or dare or a case of peer pressure can create mischief that has serious consequences. Egging a house, car or other objects could get your teen into trouble. Barring any legal action that a victim might take, it's up to you to help your teen see that harming someone else's property is wrong and that he needs to learn how to deal with similar peer pressure in the future.
Every teenager navigates a maze of schoolwork, family, relationships and emotions. Transgender teens face the added challenge of trying to match how they feel inside with how they look outside. After a childhood spent feeling like they are in the wrong body, some transgender people decide to disclose their gender identity in adolescence. Transgender teens need to decide how to express their identity, in whom to confide and how they will navigate the world as the other gender.
Teaching your teenager how to respect her body can have consequences that affect the rest of her life. While you cannot control all of your teen's decisions, you can give her your guidelines and the reasoning for them to influence better decision-making. Your support and guidance can help your daughter deal with peer pressure.
If you are the parent of a teen girl, you have high ideals for her. You want her to be happy, successful, and have a good future home life. You might want her to have a college degree or even to own her own business; in the end, however, it is really about setting high standards that will and steer her through the rocky shoals and reefs between early adolescence and adulthood.
