teens :: Better Parents, Better Families

Post tagged with teens

Should You Negotiate Your Child’s Curfew?

December 19th, 201103:00 PM ET

By Empowering Parents

There are times when your thirteen year old may seem like a seasoned litigator, and your kitchen feels like a courtroom. Kids are surprisingly adept at negotiating, and sometimes it's hard to "beat them at their own game." It's important to teach kids how to negotiate because it's a necessary life skill, and it helps create kids who can functi...
Throwing It All Away: When Good Kids Make Bad Choices

September 27th, 201110:29 AM ET

By Empowering Parents

As a family therapist, over the years many parents have come to me and said, "My child has so much going for him, but he's just throwing his life away. Why is he doing drugs? Why is he dropping out of school? Why is he making terrible choices with his life when he has so much potential?" I'll never forget the mother who said in exasperation...
Why Harsh Punishments for Children and Teenagers Don't Work

September 21st, 201104:05 PM ET

By Empowering Parents

Have you ever punished your child in the heat of the moment, when you're angry and upset? If you're like most parents, the answer is probably "yes." In fact, this is one of the biggest, most common parenting traps that you can fall into. But often when you do this, you're focused on winning the fight rather than working towards teaching your ch...
Child Discipline: Consequences and Effective Parenting

September 09th, 201103:54 PM ET

By Empowering Parents

Remember how you felt when you brought your baby home from the hospital for the first time? When your child was an infant, you probably acknowledged that you were anxious and unsure of what you were doing at times—most new parents are. In my experience, those kinds of feelings continue as we raise our kids—we just stop expressing them to ot...
5 Secrets for Communicating with Teenagers

August 04th, 201111:45 AM ET

By Empowering Parents

Does this sound familiar? Your teenage son is taking forever in the bathroom (again), but you need him to get ready so you can get to work on time. You're thinking, "How could I have raised such an inconsiderate kid? He's so disrespectful!" Meanwhile, your child is locked in the bathroom, consumed with his image in the mirror. He's thinking, "N...
Risky Teen Behavior: Can You Trust Your Child Again?

July 18th, 201102:46 PM ET

By Empowering Parents

Do you feel like your child has messed up so badly that you might never be able to trust him again? Has he wrecked the car, been caught drinking or using drugs, stolen something from school, or gotten involved in vandalism? As a parent, you are probably feeling hurt, embarrassed and disappointed—and you wonder, "Will I ever be able to trust ...
How to Reduce Negative Peer Pressure

June 03rd, 201105:27 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

Sometimes we think of peer pressure as something that only affects our kids. But it is a natural part of our makeup, and it affects us all. I visited a Harley rally not too long ago. Now, I’m in my 50s, and there were a lot of guys there even older than me. (Really.) I can tell you that I saw evidence of peer pressure there too, everywhere. Peop...
Relieving Anger and Tension in the Home

June 03rd, 201105:21 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

It’s important that our homes be a place where everyone can release their tension in appropriate ways and find a respite and relief. If not, your teens will find ways to self-medicate the tension away through drugs, alcohol, promiscuity or self-harm. The pressures of their world are far greater than when we were kids, so let me share with you so...
When Teens Seem Ungrateful

June 03rd, 201104:59 PM ET

By Mark Gregston

“I can do this on my own!” “I don’t need your help!” “Quit treating me like a child!” How do you respond to statements like these from your teenager? Do they upset you, or do you see these as signs of a necessary process taking place? Rather than considering them a slap in the face from an ungrateful or rebellious child, I encour...
7 Tools to Stop Fighting in School and at Home

May 12th, 201109:09 AM ET

By Empowering Parents

James discusses exactly what to do when your children get in trouble for fighting at school or at home—and the right kinds of consequences to give them so they learn to use appropriate behavior instead of lashing out when they feel like hitting someone the next time. Read on to find out the steps you can take toward resolving the problem of ...

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Here you will find parenting tips from experts on building a healthy family.