Your teen has reached that all important milestone of graduating high school and it’s time to start looking at colleges. What types of things should the graduate and parent consider when selecting the right college for the student?
One of the first things to consider is a community college or university. Community colleges are a great starting place, especially if the student has not selected a major. They are also more cost effective than a four year university. If the graduate knows exactly what they want to do and is ready for the challenges of a four year university, explore those. Be …
[Read more...]
Preparing for College
Modern Parenting in an Internet World
Teens seem to come into our lives all of a sudden, don’t they? What happened to the chubby-cheeked toddler we were so recently bouncing in our lap? At one time or another as the teen years approach, every parent wonders, how did they grow up so quickly?
Yes, every parent seems to feel that the issues of teen life come about with little or no warning—but deal with them we must, prepared or not.
One of the issues of parenthood today is in dealing with the many responsibilities demanded of us due to the rapid changes in technology. The Internet and the rapid proliferation of …
[Read more...]
The Evolution of Drug Abuse in Teens
Image via Wikipedia
In many public schools, kids have access to and are around a variety of different things that parents might be uncomfortable with. From relationships with members of the opposite sex, to early alcohol and drug use, kids seem to be experimenting earlier and much more often now a days. Many people speculate a main cause of this is due to the economy, and times at home being stressful. Either way, there are a slew of new and unfortunately, easy to obtain items at their disposal in which they can abuse.
One particular problem that has been plaguing American …
[Read more...]
Helping Your Teen Help Others
Charity is something that is learned, and teaching your children how to help others is something you can do for them that will change their lives. Finding the right charity is as easy as contacting a local church or support office and asking where the need is close to home. This is a great way for your teen to have a better understanding of how lucky they are in life and an appreciation for all that you do the help them have a better life.
Helping your teens become involved with the community will pay off tenfold in their futures. There are many charities that they can volunteer to help …
[Read more...]
Install Monitoring Software on Your Family Computer
There are two things that should be a standard rule in every home that has a computer. First, the computer should be in a public place in the home. Children should not be allowed to have a computer in their bedroom. Second, there should be a limit as to how much time your children spends surfing the Internet.
You should have very frank discussions with your children about pornography and sex predators. Make your discussions appropriate for you children’s age level. While you don’t want to scare your young children, they should be made aware of the dangers that are lurking on the …
[Read more...]
Music and Kids
As the media gets more and more powerful and widespread, it’s accessibility increases as well. For example, the latest music culture, which has adopted the motto “sex sells”, seems to be doing very well as millions of fans buy in to the glamorized notions of partying and promiscuity. While there is nothing wrong with this, art is art and self-expression is self-expression, but what’s important to note is the effect this is having on the younger generation.
Just take Youtube videos for example – a nine year old can recite all the lyrics to Kesha’s “Tik Tok”; a toddler can do …
[Read more...]
Help Your College-Bound Teen Have a Good Year With Great Gifts
A teen that's going off to college is something that most parents find exciting and just a little bit scary. It's great to know that your child has grown into an adult and he or she is ready to get a college education and go out into the world. Of course, it's also hard to let your child go off and grow up, because it always seems like it happens so quickly. You want what's best for your child, and there are several ways you can help make the college experience a good one. It's important that you talk to your children all throughout their formative years, and especially as they head off to …
[Read more...]
East vs. West Parenting
Discipline is a term that is relative depending on the part of the world one lives in. For example, the never-ending east vs. west debate can be applied to issues such as parenting as well.
The difference could be in the difference of cultures between the two regions – one is a collectivist society, while the other is individualistic. Thus, their disciplining actions are vastly different as well – while one society believes in disciplining in order to uphold the honor and traditions of their ancestors, the other believes in disciplining as a means to encourage independence and thinking …
[Read more...]
Are You Ready for a College Pick?
There comes a point in a teenager's life when the questions about college begin to swirl about the family dinner table. This is the perfect opportunity for Mom and Dad to swing into action. The goal is to walk that fine line between telling your teen where they should go and letting them decide where they're going to spend the next four years of their lives. Here's a quick tip for the parental units: do an Internet search for "Top Ten Party Colleges." Print out the list, but keep it in your back pocket. Only activate it if your kid begins to lean in the direction of one of those party schools. …
[Read more...]
Teens and Driving: Be Cool
Just as the title says, when it comes to teens and cars, be cool. You cannot let them see how out of control your emotions are when it comes to your teenager and driving. This is an incredibly scary time for you both and the most exciting for your child. He or she will be counting on you to gain the confidence they need to drive safely.
Teaching your child to drive can be fun if you can control your fear long enough to enjoy it. Your child is smart and capable of driving, you have to have faith that your child will pick it up as quickly as you did. You can start off simply, for …
[Read more...]