One of the basic issues we need to understand is that parents and teens view school very differently. This is important because often we believe that our kids look at school the same way we do.

In many cases, nothing could be further from the truth.

For parents, we work and want to do well in our jobs. So we think because our kids don’t work full time or at all, then school is their full-time job, and they should want to excel.

For teens, as well as many younger kids, school is their social world interrupted by six to seven classes a day.

This different view is the cause for many dinner-table squabbles.

Every now and then, as parents describe the problems with grades, they will say, “We got a D in that class.”

I’ve thought of many responses to that statement, most of which I don’t share. What I do say is, “Excuse me, who is this we? Do you go to class or does your child?”

The point is that at some time – the earlier the better – school must become more important to your child than it is to you.

Having laid out these two basic principles, let’s look at some solutions for handling a less than exciting report card.

1) You’ll want to meet with the teacher of a class in which your child has done poorly. You should ask the teacher: What he thinks might be in the way of your child doing well in this subject; does she think your child has the tools to do well in this class; how are other kids of equal ability doing in this class; what does he recommend your child (notice, not we) do to improve in this class?

2) Learn how to read a report card. There is much more information there than just grades. There’s also conduct and attendance to check out. Look for patterns. If your kid got a good grade and great conduct in one class and poor grades and bad conduct in another, take a look at what the differences are between those two classes. Obviously, the child has the ability in one class. What’s in the way in the other?

3) Often kids will blame the teacher. “She doesn’t like me!” This is an opportunity to teach real-world living in which not all people, bosses included, are going to like you. At the same time, you still need to know how to do well in a situation, even when there are people who don’t like you.

4) Here’s a little trick of the trade: Determine which class comes right before your child’s lunch period. If grades, attendance and conduct are significantly different after lunch than before, the next question is what’s happening at lunch that is getting in the way?

5) Make two copies of your child’s report card _ one for you and one for your child. Draw a horizontal line to the right of each letter grade. Next to the end of that line, write the next letter grade up. For example, if the grade is an F, write a D. If it’s a D, write a C, and so on. These one-step-up grades are the goals for the next grading period.

This may sound like settling for less, but it really is not. It gives your child a manageable goal to reach. Over a couple of grading periods, this strategy can move low grades to high grades. If they go higher than the goal, then that’s a good thing. If they go lower than the goal, it’s time for some consequences.

6) It’s been my experience that grounding a kid for the entire grading period is in most cases counterproductive. For adults, nine weeks is not that long. For kids, however, it’s forever, and you get rapidly diminishing returns.

Instead, start with strong consequences, and then as effort, behavior and grades improve, let the rope out a little at a time, just enough for them to grow themselves.

It’s also useful to link grades to something that is important to them. As one father said to me last year, “In our family, Ds don’t drive.”

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

As a side note, may I suggest an incredible book, as you may be looking at developing your finances here as well- Seed Money.

What’s hard for teenagers

Having people who don’t understand you trying to control you.

Parents not understanding the things you have to deal with.

Having to deal with school.

Being accepted by friends.

Having someone really close to you leave you.

Being blamed for almost everything because we are teen-agers.

Living with divorced parents and having no say in where you go.

Dealing with boy/girl friends.

Trying to deal with a parent who doesn’t want to understand and take time to listen to your comments.

Not being financially independent.

Meeting parents’ expectations and never being good enough.

Knowing your parents are right.

What’s best about being a teen

Getting away with immature behavior.

The chance to try new things.

Having your whole life ahead of you.

Youth, energy and time.

Lots to look forward to.

Getting a driver’s license

Almost being done with school.

Friends and relationships.

Not having to work.

Summer vacation.

What parent’s don’t understand

Our schedules and our social lives.

That restrictions don’t work and talking does.

We’re old enough to make our own choices.

We need to have our freedom every once in a while.

That we make mistakes just like they did.

Grades aren’t the only thing I’m good for; I can make you proud by just being me!!

We love you even if you aren’t around.

Threats make me fear you, not respect you.

What the world is like now, not what it was like when they were kids.

We have feelings, too.

Their words can hurt really badly.

It really is hard to live in a family where your opinion doesn’t count.

We understand trust isn’t cheap but we have to learn some things for ourselves.

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

As a side note, may I suggest an incredible book, as you may be looking at developing your finances here as well- Seed Money.

Raising kids is very expensive and requires a lot of savvy money planning. It is estimated that the cost to raise one child for 18 years is over 250,000 dollars, not to mention college and their first car. For parents on a tight budget, there is hope. With just a few money saving strategies here and there, you can save thousands.

Save on Children and Babies Clothing

If you are a parent, you know how fast kids can grow out of clothing and shoes. In some cases, a child can outgrow items before even wearing them. In this regard, there is no sense in buying expensive clothes every few weeks. Consider shopping at the end of each season for next year’s wardrobe. You can often find name brand close outs for a fraction of the cost. If you are worried about fashion trends, don’t worry, some things never go out of style. This is the perfect time to buy socks, underwear, or pajamas.

Kids Toy Discounts Online

You can often find popular kids toys at a much cheaper rate by shopping online. Consider auction sites or discount toy sites. Many companies now buy overstock items and offer them at great prices online. Since these companies do not have to worry about maintaining a store front, they often have lower overhead. Many companies will pass those savings onto their customers. Another great option about shopping at home is the time you save by avoiding long check out lines and trips to the store. Many large companies like Toys R Us and KB Toys have a large selection online, and they even have special deals for online customers only.

Use Book Exchange Program

If your child is an avid reader, you understand that the average paperback now costs over five dollars. If you child can read five or six books a week that can be a large expense. If you join a book exchange program, you really save a lot of money. Many used book stores offer this option. You can trade in the books you have already read and then use the credit you receive to purchase new books. In most cases, it will take at least two trade ins for one new book. You might also consider swapping books with other parents. There are a few sites online that offer a swapping service that is nationwide. You list the books you have and then search through other peoples books to find what you are looking for.

Start a Pass It on Club
Pass it on clubs are beginning to gain popularity across the country. These clubs are made up of a group of parents who have kids in all different age and size groups. The group will meet once every few months and swap gently used clothing that their children no longer wear. Rather than throwing away perfectly good clothing you can recycle it to the next person and help build a greener planet.

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

As a side note, may I suggest an incredible book, as you may be looking at developing your finances here as well- Seed Money.

1. Is the camp ACA (American Camp Association) accredited? Although accreditation does not assure safety, and some states, have more rigorous safety requirements, accreditation is a very good place to start. The ACA evaluates many standards concerning safety, health, program and camp operations, and provides support to over 2,200 camps.

2. “Staff Training” or “Counselor Orientation” programs are not all the same. To understand what the counselors are taught, and by whom, you may want to see the training curriculum and training materials. For instance, does the camp share with its counselors the general and activity specific safety requirements they say they DO? Is there a process to document training attendance? Is there a test that counselors need to pass? Is there a document counselors must sign affirming that they understand and will abide by all safety rules and procedures? Ask your camp directors these questions and see if your satisfied with their answers.

3. Your child’s safety and well-being directly depends on the type of counselors the camp hires. Counselors are the individuals living and eating with, and supervising, your child 24 hours a day. Ask about the camp’s screening process, and review the materials the camp has gathered concerning the counselors, including their biographical backgrounds (and ages), their swimming, driving and criminal records, and their prior employment histories (for example, has a counselor previously been fired elsewhere?). You may also want to know what percentage of the counselors are teachers and/or parents, and what percentage possess a current cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) certificate and/or are trained in first aid?

4. Not all camps discipline staff or children attending the camp, in the same manner. You may want to learn the camp’s discipline policies and ask certain questions: (a) does it enforce a written policy of zero tolerance for drug use or alcohol abuse (are counselors fired after first time drug use/alcohol abuse is discovered?); (b) does it enforce a written staff and/or child curfew and, if so, what time?; and (c) has it fired counselors before and why?

5. Find out if there have been prior deaths or serious injuries at the camp. You may want to learn what happened and what the camp has done in response.

6. For all out-of-camp trips, particularly hikes and excursions, does there exist a specific protocol? You may want to ensure that the camp requires (a) a trip leader qualified to Respond To Emergencies (“RTE”) (as required in some states) (this Red Cross certification requires significant hours of specialized training); (b) counselors to bring with them communication devices; (c) the counselor-in-charge to be over a certain age; (d) a buddy system to be employed; (e) a lost camper plan to be followed; and (f) a parental permission slip to be signed.

7. Has the camp identified possible major threats to the camp, staff, or guests? Do they have an emergency plan?

· Environmental threats — earthquakes, hurricanes, forest fires, dam collapses, and tornadoes.

· Security threats — hostile parents or visitors, hostage situations, verbalized threats, and child abduction.

· Health threats — intentional or unintentional food poisoning or water contamination, child abuse, communicable disease outbreaks, staff death, and group-wide emotional stress resulting from a catastrophic event.

· Off-site hazards — off-site trips, airports, nuclear power plants, and dangerous wildlife.

8. All camps should have written health policies and protocols that have been approved by a physician with a particular knowledge of children’s health, preferably a pediatrician.

9. Camp authorities should be responsible for describing to the parents the activities and programs and the health services available at the camp. Parents should be aware of the preadmission medical requirements at the time of registration.

10. Before the child’s first day of camp, parents or guardians should provide the camp authorities with a health history, including the child’s significant previous illnesses, operations, injuries, allergies, present state of health, and current medical problems. Also, orders from a licensed health care professional should be obtained for prescription medications, diets, or special medical devices such as inhalers or nebulizers.

For more camp information, go to www.acacamps.org.

Now that you have a summer camp safety strategy, you and your child can have a great summer camp experience. Especially, when you’re able to sleep at night knowing they are in a safe and well-staffed environment.

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

As a side note, may I suggest an incredible book, as you may be looking at developing your finances here as well- Seed Money.

Do you ever wonder what is behind the occasional nasty attitudes expressed by your teenager? Teenagers can make their parents feel pretty badly at times; if they only knew how much their words and actions sometimes hurt us they’d probably stop. Perhaps.

It isn’t a developmental necessity that teenagers be mean to their parents, but enough of them demonstrate this behavior that it not only warrants examination here, it is the topic of frequent discussion among parents. And when young adults look back, they say things like “I’m still apologizing to my mom for how I treated her when I was in high school.”

Why do they act this way? What’s behind this behavior? Here are a couple of reasons.

During adolescence parents fall off the pedestal we once stood on when our kids were young. And that is a developmental necessity. Part of the process that teenagers are experiencing includes separating from parents, a process psychologists call “individuation.” They are coming into their own true – separate – selves. And this includes seeing parents realistically – and that means they see our flaws and short comings as well as our positive attributes.

Smaller children often make that pedestal parents stand on pretty high; think back and you’re sure to remember incidences that surprised you when you realized how you were perceived as infallible, nearly “perfect,” truly “adored.” When teenagers begin to gain a more realistic view of their parents it can actually be scary for them. They can feel vulnerable, angry even, to discover their parents are only human, imperfect like the rest of humanity. Obviously they will learn to cope with this realization, but at an unconscious level it can still be disturbing to them. This can be one cause of their “mean” behavior toward parents.

It will help parents to understand that along with the disappointment in learning adults are flawed, may also come relief as teenagers learn that “perfection” is not a prerequisite for adulthood. Parents can help their teens through this shift in thinking and this important developmental step by being realistic about their flaws.

Another reason why kids sometimes present challenging attitudes to parents is that they’re testing out ideas. Hopefully, at a deep level, your teen knows that he/she can count on you and you’ll never abandon him/her, no matter what. That makes you, then, the safest person with whom she can express her feeling and thoughts – even ones that are not typically allowed in our culture.

Parents who provide walls and boundaries are not only keeping kids safe, they are providing walls to push against, and push they will! This may not be what the parent intends, but it is often the case, again, because of the inherent “safety” in the relationship. Parents can become, merely because of circumstances, the testing ground teens use to verbalize ideas, attitudes and behavior, sometimes with little regard for our feelings. Mother-daughter relationships, in particular, can exemplify this. One author referred to “mother” as the “standard to which she aspires and struggles against.” So, you see the challenge can be built right into the relationship.

There are many causes for the changing behavior of teenagers, and some of the attitudes they express can hurt parents’ feelings. The more parents understand the underlying causes for what is going on, the more we can properly manage our responses. We certainly don’t need to accept unacceptable behavior, but on the other hand we can help the situation if we are knowledgeable about what might be really behind it.

Sue Blaney

© 2004

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

As a side note, may I suggest an incredible book, as you may be looking at developing your finances here as well- Seed Money.

For Students

* The Law of a Good Start: Both parents and students say they get off to a great start and then begin to fall off. It’s human nature. We start to do well and then think we have arrived and can begin to coast. It doesn’t work.

* The Law of Staying Out in Front: Keep doing the things that got you off to a good start, or do them even more. Another way to stay out in front is to take whatever deadlines are given to you and move them up. In this way, you can be done in plenty of time and can relax.

* The Law of Manageable Pieces: Once you hit middle school, you have many classes and all the work that comes with each class. If you look at it as a whole, you will become overwhelmed. Break it down into smaller pieces, one class at a time, one assignment at a time. Do that one assignment well and then move on to the next. Doing small pieces one at a time allows you to accomplish a great deal more than you thought you could.

* The Law of Procrastination: Beware the words “I’ll do it later” because later rarely comes. If you can get a handle on beating procrastination now, you will be way ahead of most folks. The next time you are tempted to procrastinate, put it off. Tell yourself you will procrastinate later and do it now instead.

For Parents

*The Law of Report Cards: Report Cards can show much more than grades. If grades are low in the morning classes and higher in the afternoon, it could be an indication of too little sleep. If the grades are consistently lower after lunch, what might be going on at lunchtime?

It’s also important to remember that grades are merely a measure of aptitude, effort and ability. They are not a measure of your child’s worth.

* The Law of Knowing: Here are three things every parent should take the time to get to know: your child’s teacher; the material your child is being taught; your child’s friends and the parents of those friends.

Go to school. Meet the teachers. Ask questions. If you want to do something radical;, invite your child’s teacher over for dinner. You can get to know better someone who is influencing you child; the teacher can get to know your student’s family; your child gets to see that teachers are regular people.

* The Law of Different Perception: This one is especially important for parents. For the most part, parents and kids have very different perceptions when it comes to school. The parent’s perception is that we work for a living and want to do well at our job. Kids don’t work, so school is their job, and, of course, they should want to do well at it.

Often, however, the perception of kids is that school is their social world, interrupted by six or seven classes a day. These differing perceptions often create a wide gap to bridge.

* The Law of Importance: This is probably the most difficult one to flesh out in the real world. At some point, school needs to become more important to your child than it is to you. Somewhere along the line, she must find something to be excited about that is separate from your desires and expectations.

At some point, students need to be put in charge of school and be responsible for the outcome.

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

As a side note, may I suggest an incredible book, as you may be looking at developing your finances here as well- Seed Money.

If you are the parent of a disrespectful or violent teen, your life is probably different than most parents. You are probably experiencing high levels of stress and frustration. You may be angry at your inability to resolve the problems with your teen. You may begin to question your parenting skills.

It’s likely that if you are the parent of disrespectful or violent teen that you feel as though you have nowhere to turn and no resources available to help you resolve the problems. When you have a disrespectful or violent teen, everything in your life can be tense. There is no “down time” because you are often running from one fire to another, from school behavior issues to family fights to violence to rule-breaking. It’s enough to make the best of parents want to tear out their hair.

There is hope, though, and it’s important that before you get to the point where you are no longer a healthy, functioning parent, that you reach for that help for your disrespectful or violent teen and for yourself.

One of the best resources parents have for their disrespectful or violent teens is the school. Your school’s counselor can be not only a resource but a source of referral to other resources in your community. When you are concerned about your teen’s out of control behavior, you may want to either deny it or try to hide it, but the best thing you can do is be up front about what is happening. You are not a failure just because you cannot find the right answers for your teen.

If the help you receive from your teen’s school counselor isn’t enough, there are still many other resources. Because it is difficult to tell what is causing your disrespectful or violent teen to behave the way he or she is behaving, it can be helpful to start with your family doctor or pediatrician. Your doctor can eliminate medical causes as well as potential drug and alcohol related behaviors. Your doctor can also refer your teen for additional evaluations with specialists if needed, and help you identify issues. Many times, your family doctor or pediatrician will also have other ideas about where you can go to get help.

Although the stigma is not what it used to be, many people hesitate to seek mental health treatment for their disrespectful or violent teen for fear of being labeled. Mental health services, however, provide you with a vast array of services for your disrespectful or violent teen. Depending on the circumstances of your situation, they can provide outpatient counseling for your teen, you, and your family. If the situation is dangerous or your teen needs more intensive services, they often have inpatient programs as well.

Often, all you need to make it through another day is someone to tell you that you are a good parent, that you are doing everything you can do, and that the stress and anguish you are feeling as a result of your disrespectful or violent teen will not last forever. Don’t give up before you reach out. There is help for you, no matter what your situation.

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

As a side note, may I suggest an incredible book, as you may be looking at developing your finances here as well- Seed Money.

There have been a lot of kids in and out of the office these last days before they start getting ready to go Back to School. They’re asking questions about how to deal with some of the stresses of going back to school!

Are my friends from last year going to be my friends this year? Is my new math teacher going to like me? Will I make the soccer team or land a role in the school play?

While there’s no way to control the world of back to school, there are some things you can do to make the process a little bit easier. Here are some tips that parents can talk to their children about and for the more mature kids to read independently to help keep you cool, calm and collected in the hectic time of back to school.

5 Keep It Cool Back-to-School Tips

1. Make some time to reconnect with your friends before school starts – you’ll feel a lot more comfortable come September. If you went on vacation or to camp for the summer, you probably have a lot of catching up to do with your friends from school!

2. The end of summer before school starts is the best time to start getting organized! Buy a planner/calendar so you can organize all the things you want to do before the homework starts piling up. You might also want to include a diary in your back to school supplies.

3. Start going to bed and waking up a bit earlier each day so that you’re body is tuned up for the back to school routine. Once school starts you can say goodbye to sleeping late on the weekdays!

4. The new school year is a great opportunity for new friends. Challenge yourself to talk to one new person every day – by the end of the first month you’ll know everyone in your class!

5. Your teachers have already begun setting up their classrooms. If you’re heading to a new school, see if you can get into the building a few days early to look around and find your classroom. This way you won’t get lost on the first day!

Hope this helps you get ready for Back to School! Now, enjoy the rest of the summer.

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

As a side note, may I suggest an incredible book, as you may be looking at developing your finances here as well- Seed Money.

“We’re like best friends. I tell my mom everything.” This is a parent-teen dynamic sometimes seen in therapy that I refer to as the BFF (Best Friends Forever). Teens are endlessly entertaining–and occasionally it can be fun to “hang out” with your kid and vicariously revel in all her reckless, “Goth-y,” authority-denouncing abandonment, but it should not be a habitual practice. When you treat your child as a peer, the distortion of parental and adolescent roles and boundaries often results in confusion, resentment, and even toxicity in your relationship.

There is a reason that the BFF acronym implies an age imperative commonly associated with the very young. You are not your child’s best friend, and that is why she has a best friend. I laugh when my 8 year-old defiantly states “Oh yeah–well, you’re not my friend then…’” I respond with “You’re darned right I’m not your friend–I’m your Mom!”

Our ultimate job as parents is to set boundaries, lead by example, offer guidance, recognize accomplishments, and provide discipline–which oftentimes consists of less than friendly behavior. Teens are navigating specific developmental tasks such as puberty, sexuality, peer pressure, and social norms, and each requires peer inclusion and feedback as a barometer when testing these treacherous waters. Parental input and support are crucial too, but your time together should not be a substitute for your teen’s involvement with his social group.

Adolescents are still very much concrete thinkers, and are not equipped with the mental and emotional faculties, frame of reference, and judgment to be stand-in adults. While your child may be sensitive, insightful, and mature for his age, it is unfair to burden him with your relationship problems, work-related stress, and economic woes. One possible byproduct of overloading them emotionally is that they may not discuss their problems, and in turn, may repress and/or “act out” some of their unmet needs. A common response I encounter as to why a teen hasn’t talked to mom or dad is “I don’t want to cause any more problems for my parents–they have enough to deal with already.”

Additionally, when a teen is lacking that all-important parental figure, she is left to parent herself. Many young people do not make sound decisions when it comes to rule compliance at home, at school, and in the community. For this reason they should not be entrusted with setting their own schedules, choosing sleep hours, deciding when to do their homework, and maintaining friendships with whomever they want. A pertinent question I ask a parent who defers to her child for decision making is “Based on your child’s current behaviors, do you think she is capable of making a wise decision on this matter?” The answer is usually no. Your teen is counting on you to be a parent now more than ever. It is normal for him to feel out of control internally, and you can help by providing an external safety net where he can express his emotions and fears, and at the same time feel contained by your empathy, guidance, and supervision. Balance can be achieved in your relationship when you communicate openly and authentically, and reinforce consistency and supervision of family rules.

There exists basic ethical guidelines prohibiting surgeons from operating on family members, attorneys from defending their loved ones, and therapists from practicing on their in-laws (!), and the same moral considerations and distinctions should be accorded for the roles of parents and teenagers.

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

As a side note, may I suggest an incredible book, as you may be looking at developing your finances here as well- Seed Money.

One of the most prevalent myths of our modern culture is the one that says, “Adolescence is a time of inevitable conflict.” You will hear doctors say it, and teachers, and therapists, and pastors, and even parents. It seems that nearly everyone has bought into this myth.

The thinking goes like this:
1. Teenage “rebellion” is normal;
2. Because teenage “rebellion” is normal it is to be accepted, perhaps even encouraged by those who work regularly with teenagers;
3. Because teenage “rebellion” is normal, teenagers who do not rebel are “not normal,” and will certainly have serious problems later in life;
4. Therefore, to be healthy, teenagers must rebel;

The Conclusion to this logic is that “Rebellion today equals healthy living tomorrow.” Therefore, Rebellion is simply an investment in the future!

However, the Truth is that conflict and rebellion during the adolescent years is not inevitable. In fact, the adolescent years can be a time of great closeness between parents and teens. The fact that teenage rebellion is “common” does not make it “normal.” By “common” we mean a behavior that is observed often; “Normal” means that a certain behavior is the way that God intended for the behavior to be from the beginning. Never confuse “normal” with “common.”

Teenage rebellion is simply rebellion against authority, against their parents.

Rebellion is not simply a difference of opinion between parents and teens. Please do not interpret a difference of opinion as rebellion. And rebellion is not simply a teenager’s attempt to “grow up” and become more “independent.”

Instead, rebellion is the attempt to overthrow the legitimate family government that is in place. Rebellion in a family is similar in this respect to rebellion in a nation’s government.

Rebellion by teenagers against their parents is the attempt to overthrow the parents as the authority in the home; the attempt by the teenager to make himself “King” in his own life; the rejection by the teenager of his parent’s values and beliefs.

In every layer of human society God has instituted a system of “government” or a “chain of command structure.” These systems are seen from national governments right down to marriages, families, and the church. Every social organization, or social system, has an organization that provides structure, teaches values to new members, provides for the enforcement of values among its members, and provides leadership.

The family is important to our society, as it provides the next generation with core values and beliefs, and with a model of appropriate behavior.

In America, the leading causes of teenage rebellion are:
5. Moral relativism in the culture;
4. Lack of parental supervision, or lack of parental influence;
3. Outside influences from the culture (especially the glorification of sex) delivered to teenagers through the entertainment media, such as popular music, movies, and TV;
2. Peer dependence, peer influence, and peer pressure;
1. Boyfriends/girlfriends.

Work with your teen, spend time with your teen, and talk with your teen. There is no substitute for your time and attention invested in his or her life.

PS

Further Resources

I have also found that it is important to ensure that you are as focused as you can be, given all your responsibilities as a parent, and time consuming tasks you have to get through. This is where the Success Strategies System comes in.

You can learn the tips and get the information yopu need, in small daily chunks, in as little as around five or six minutes daily.

I also highly recommend the Self Help Database, loaded with fantastic ebooks on a range of subjects for your improvement, development, and interest.

For personal development (always a plus with parenting), may I direct you here.

PPS:

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