5 Secrets for Handling Difficult Teen Parenting Situations- The most common issues between parents and teens arise due to poor communication, power struggles and a lack of empathy. If you use the same parenting methods that you did when your teen was a child, you won't get positive results. You'll just exhaust your energy.
6 Ways to Protect Your Latchkey Kids- As a parent, you don't choose to have your kids at home alone, but sometimes the pressures of two parents working, school schedules, and baby sitting problems require you to do so. There are some very easy things you can do to reduce the risk for your kids. Every parent can implement these tips to keep their family safer.
A Pubescent Plague (humor)- The world is truly becoming a frightful place to live. Almost daily we are exposed to a fresh new array of life-threatening dangers ... like for instance, that hideous rumor of a Scott Baio career comeback attempt.
Accident Report (Humor)- The following accident reports were filed in conjunction with an automobile collision in which my two daughters somehow managed to run into each other in their own driveway. Both of my vehicles sustained damage.
Angry Emotions - Your Child's and Yours- Question: My child can't control his angry emotions.
He tends to lash out at others, verbally and physically.
How can I help him stop getting so angry?
Arguing & Back Talk- I know my kid's going to grow up to be a lawyer! He argues whenever he's asked to do something. He debates his rights when he's asked to stop doing something. He pleads his case when I tell him he can't do something. He disputes every rule I create. How can I put an end to this?
Being Involved Means You Care- I live with a Scotch-Irishman and he is a trip! I was thinking, why is it that our kids are so well-behaved, or so I am told. My husband is emotional, as I imply with the first sentence, but he exudes love and sacrifice to our kids to the nth degree. Our children know they are loved, but they also know that Daddy means business.
Beyond The Blues: Kids and Depression- Over 11 million prescriptions were written last year for kids with depression. That did not include those who didn't even see a doctor.
Casual Remarks- It's a curious affliction: the tendency to talk about one's children in the most brutally honest and hurtful ways without realizing that the cherished subjects of the offensive comments are listening to every word. Right now, you may be saying to yourself, "This never happens to me." Perhaps. Perhaps not.
Children Should Take Responsibility for Decreasing TV Viewing- Getting children to decrease the amount of time they watch TV is not often easy, but researchers from Texas A&M University and the University of Mississippi say encouraging children to take responsibility for decreasing their TV time can be effective.
Clean Your Room!- My child's bedroom looks like it's been put through a blender! I can't see the carpet, and to walk through the room I have to dodge clothes, toys, and last week's snack wrappers. My child doesn't care, but I do. When I yell and threaten we sometimes end up with one day of cleanliness, but in no time at all, the disaster magically reappears. What can I do?
Daughters Driving (Humor)- My daughters are driving.
Let me explain what this means.
It means that two teenage girls
whose primary method of
observation is "distraction" are out
there aiming tons of metal at
everything moving. When you see
one of my daughters approaching,
do not panic. You should (a) pull your vehicle over to
the side of the road, and (b) lie face-down in a ditch.
Dog Doo To Do- The Hidden Message: "If you can put up with the
drone of my voice, go ahead and feel free to ignore
me. I don't plan to take any action about this issue
at all."
Don't Call Me Dude- Over the past eighteen months I have acquired an entirely new
moniker from our fourteen-year-old daughter, which seemingly
happened in an instant. Gina currently refers to me as "dude".
I find this new label infuriating, especially since I?m not quite
certain how this happened.
Drug Use: The Tell-Tale Trail- 23 Signs of Teen Involvement in the Drug Scene: With teens, an easily crossed line exists between experimental drug/alcohol use and abuse. If a pattern, or cluster, of indicators exists among the following 23 telltale signs of teenage usage, your suspicions should turn into a preventive action plan.
From The Mouths of Babes - A Teen Pregnancy- " I got pregnant in February of '98 so when summer arrived and all of my friends were at the beach in bikinis I was shopping for maternity clothes." An alarming number of children are having children of their own.
Frugal Fashion for Teens- One of the most popular questions I receive in my mail
is "How can I have clothes that are in style without
going broke?" Being the frugal person I am, I thought
I'd share a few of my tips on how to keep your closet
full of fashionable clothes without paying a fortune.
Gift Ideas for Teen Girls- Holidays, birthdays, graduation... these are all occasions when we might struggle to come up with an inexpensive gift idea for the teenage girl in our life. Following are some gift ideas that can be purchased for $15 or less. Be creative, shop ahead of time, and
watch for sales!
Gratitude More Than Attitude: Teaching Children the Joy of Being Grateful- Gratitude is more than an attitude. Recent studies show that grateful people are happier, more resilient, and less depressed. They also have higher self-esteem and better relationships. These results prove that gratitude is more than polite manners and positive thinking. It is a way of life, and a wonderful legacy to leave our children.
Growing Up & Moving Out: Or Are They?- The latest parenting challenge is dealing with emerging adults who have no intention of leaving the nest. Many 19 to 29-year-olds either return home after college or they've never even left home.
Help Teens Get the Sleep they Need- Teenagers are one of the most sleep deprived segments of the population. Most teens require at least nine hours of sleep but get much, much less. It's a time when school, homework, community service, extracurricular activities, active social lives, and part-time jobs keep them busy from early in the morning until late at night. They are likely to try to make up for a lack of sleep by ?sleeping in' on the weekends. Unfortunately, this contributes to an irregular sleep schedule and actually makes the problem worse, setting them up for a kind of jet lag when Monday morning rolls around.
How to Feed a Hungry Teen- For the fourth time today, you've seen your teenager standing searchingly in front of your open refrigerator. And now you've just finished dinner. What gives?
How to Get Your Children Brand Free- Certainly, we as parents want to make our children happy and not deprive them of a delightful childhood, but who's to say that you must give in to every one of your child's requests.
I Want Privacy!- As children grow, many start to feel a need for a private
space. This is a normal part of development. Your child's
right to privacy, though, should be earned by the
demonstration of trustworthiness and responsibility.
Kids and Marijuana: Not a Harmless High- Users say it makes them mellow. Proponents of legalization say it's okay to smoke. Doctors warn of its harmful effects. Researchers say that from 1991 to 2001, the number of 8th graders who have used marijuana doubled from one in ten to one in five.
Middle Ground: A Heartwarming Story from a Middle Child- That early morning in the bustling, congested airport was the first day of the rest of my life. There were five of us including my mom, my dad, my older brother, my younger sister, and me. My mom, as always, was the only one who seemed to be enthusiastic about this trip. My dad and my brother Jamie seemed bored and uninterested. Always full of energy and cheerful, Laurie, the nine-year-old baby of the family, bounced around among us aggravating us even more. We were arguing already and we hadn’t even left yet. My parents were more concerned over who forgot to pack what, than they were about the real issue that was taking place. How were we going to survive this family trip to Prince Edward Island?
My Son's Teacher was a Bully- When my son was in sixth grade, he came home with a rip in his new sneakers. He told me the gym teacher did it during a sneaker check. It sounded like a fib, or at best, an accident on the teacher's part, but I needed to clarify things.
Nine Ways to Help Children to Cope With Loss and Grief- The biggest problem children have in coping with their grief is the inattention and lack of awareness adults have in the need to talk about it, express all kinds of feelings around it, and to help children to find a way to compensate for the loss.
Overindulgence Hurts Kids- Raising my own children taught me that I owe my parents a debt of gratitude, not only for the things they did for me-but for the things they were wise enough NOT to do. Sometimes, we can do too much for our children and rather than helping them, we can keep them from becoming responsible, resilient and self-reliant.
Parents: Help Prevent Teen Driver Car Crashes- Whenever one gets behind the wheel of a car the process of risk assessment begins. This is why drivers look both ways before entering the roadway. The driver is determining issues of risk before taking action.
Mother's Day is right around the corner. Celebrate mom this year with crafts, recipes and plenty of other ideas. Here are a few examples to get you started...
Did you know that FamilyCorner has its own photo gallery? Did you know that YOU can upload your own photos to it? That's right, and it's completely free!
Here are some of the fun benefits of sharing your photos in our FC Gallery:
Send your own photos as an e-card
Watch slide shows
See beautiful sunsets and other great scenic shots
Brag about and share pictures of your loving pets
Share photos of your children and grandchildren
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Keep your favorite pictures organized online
Rate images of other members
...more!
Join us in the FC Photo Gallery. It's completely free to use, just another fabulous reason to be a FamilyCorner subscriber.
Family Matters Radio
Hosted by Caroline & Jacquie. Choose a segment below to begin listening!
Secrets of Happily Married Women Do you feel like you are constantly on overdrive? Juggling career and family, attending to everyone's needs but your own, and all the while struggling to maintain a sense of balance and harmony in your marriage? You can actually start getting more out of your relationship by doing less and we'll tell you how with Dr. Scott Haltzman, author of Secrets of Happily Married Women. Hear part 2
When Mars and Venus Collide It's a common scenario: a husband returns home from work stressed out and eager to kick back on the couch and watch TV. A wife returns home from work stressed out and wants to talk about it with her husband. What happens? Neither is on the same page, anger and resentment set in. We're going to find out how stress is impacting marriages today and what you can do about it when we talk with bestselling author John Gray Hear part 2
As a parent, you don't choose to have your kids at home alone, but sometimes the pressures of two parents working, school schedules, and baby sitting problems require you to do so. There are some very easy things you can do to reduce the risk for your kids. Every parent can implement these tips to keep their family safer.
Over 11 million prescriptions were written last year for kids with depression. That did not include those who didn't even see a doctor.
Gratitude is more than an attitude. Recent studies show that grateful people are happier, more resilient, and less depressed. They also have higher self-esteem and better relationships. These results prove that gratitude is more than polite manners and positive thinking. It is a way of life, and a wonderful legacy to leave our children.
The latest parenting challenge is dealing with emerging adults who have no intention of leaving the nest. Many 19 to 29-year-olds either return home after college or they've never even left home.
Teenagers are one of the most sleep deprived segments of the population. Most teens require at least nine hours of sleep but get much, much less. It's a time when school, homework, community service, extracurricular activities, active social lives, and part-time jobs keep them busy from early in the morning until late at night. They are likely to try to make up for a lack of sleep by ?sleeping in' on the weekends. Unfortunately, this contributes to an irregular sleep schedule and actually makes the problem worse, setting them up for a kind of jet lag when Monday morning rolls around.
Certainly, we as parents want to make our children happy and not deprive them of a delightful childhood, but who's to say that you must give in to every one of your child's requests.
That early morning in the bustling, congested airport was the first day of the rest of my life. There were five of us including my mom, my dad, my older brother, my younger sister, and me. My mom, as always, was the only one who seemed to be enthusiastic about this trip. My dad and my brother Jamie seemed bored and uninterested. Always full of energy and cheerful, Laurie, the nine-year-old baby of the family, bounced around among us aggravating us even more. We were arguing already and we hadn’t even left yet. My parents were more concerned over who forgot to pack what, than they were about the real issue that was taking place. How were we going to survive this family trip to Prince Edward Island?
The biggest problem children have in coping with their grief is the inattention and lack of awareness adults have in the need to talk about it, express all kinds of feelings around it, and to help children to find a way to compensate for the loss.
Raising my own children taught me that I owe my parents a debt of gratitude, not only for the things they did for me-but for the things they were wise enough NOT to do. Sometimes, we can do too much for our children and rather than helping them, we can keep them from becoming responsible, resilient and self-reliant.
Whenever one gets behind the wheel of a car the process of risk assessment begins. This is why drivers look both ways before entering the roadway. The driver is determining issues of risk before taking action.
Missed the last couple of newsletters? Haven't visited for a while? This section highlights articles and crafts that have recently been added to FC...
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