It’s normal for teens to push away from parents and grasp for more freedom and independence. But it’s also normal for us parents to be scared by that and want to hold on. The push/pull between parents and teens wanting their freedom is a phenomenon which hopefully helps both parties find the perfect middle. And it may even be a healthier place to be.
If you’ve just about had it with those obnoxious teenagers, we get where you’re coming from. We work with them all the time!
Sometimes shoplifting can be indicative of deeper emotional problems in teenagers. More commonly however, what teens get out of shoplifting is empowerment.
If you’ve had infidelity in your marriage it can be as hard for your kids as it is for you. Children may feel a range of emotions from shame, embarrassment, betrayal and anger when one parent has been unfaithful. Kids may also feel a strong need to protect the parent who got hurt.
For parents, sending a kid off to college can summon every parental fear you’ve ever had. Even as your teen is on the verge of adulthood, watching them leave for school brings up those same feelings as when you left them alone with a babysitter for the first time.
A summer job is a fantastic growing opportunity for your teen. They could have the kind of positive experience that changes their lives. They could make new friends and learn something about following through with a commitment. If you’re going to nudge or encourage them in some way to commit, you have to do it with compassion and empathy
Your teenage son or daughter most likely doesn’’t want to hear what you have to say, or how you did it back in “your day.” What teens really want when they come to you in these situations is actually pretty simple. They want to feel “seen,” and for you to validate their feelings.
How do you talk to your kids about the war in Ukraine? They’re going to hear about it somewhere so it’s best that you start the discussion.
https://youtu.be/Ps6cRz8DUj8 How do I get my kid to think before he does something stupid? “Good teen judgement” isn’t a phrase most people use in their daily lexicon. When adults think of brilliant decision makers, teens don’t usually come to mind. Thankfully, science offers an explanation for this phenomenon. Between the ages of 11 and 13, …
As adults, we can all probably remember being in situations where we had really big emotions but not been able to express them. Some parents might be tempted to take a “pull yourself up by the bootstraps and get going” kind of attitude with their kid. If your kid is in this kind of situation though, he or she is probably not in the “able to receive advice column.” Rather, they need emotional support.
