Search Results for: teen with no friends

Teen Challenges: Peer Pressure

Lying, attitudes, bad choices.  All of these challenges that most parents have to deal with at one time or another when raising teenagers.  But there is another challenge that can sometimes make you feel as if you are climbing Mount Everest.  It is the impossible feat of dealing with peer pressure. For many teens, peer pressure is the most difficult thing to resist.  They want to be liked, they want to fit in. I don’t know how I have managed to mostly overcome this issue.  But my two oldest children have never really struggled with this. They are both who … Continue reading →

Teens Can’t Be Our Entire World

When my children were younger, it felt like they made up my entire world.  And in many ways that is true.  Yet in the midst of raising small children, I still tried to find things that I was interested in, outside of parenting. This can still be a problem when our children become teens.  If our lives revolve solely around them, it’s going to create certain challenges for them and us. The first is that we won’t be prepared for the season when we eventually become empty nesters.  This can be a difficult period for many parents, but it can … Continue reading →

How to Talk to Your Kids about the Economic Crisis

“How can I talk to my kids about the economic crisis?” It is a common question that most parents face today. As prices on consumable goods rise, from food and gas to the cable bill, and families feel themselves pinched, even the youngest children are starting to notice that things around them are changing. Neighbors and friends may be moving away, favorite stores and restaurants may be closing, and everyone seems to have to sacrifice something they enjoy just to get through this time. Parents should see this time in our history as a teaching moment, but the lessons should … Continue reading →

8 Things Kids Need to Know about Money

It is never too early to start teaching your children about money. While many parents shy away from discussing financial issues with their kids, this can be one of the biggest mistakes that they make. Instilling good habits and a basic understanding about how finances work can give your child an edge that will stay with him or her for a lifetime. 1. There is a difference between the things that you want and the things that you need. Wants versus needs can be a tough concept for kids to understand, but teaching them that real necessities must be met … Continue reading →

Fostering Teen Individuality and Independence

We all want to be who we want to be.  Most adults feel this way, so you can only imagine how true this is for teenagers. This is where individuality comes into play.  As parents we have to learn how to foster this.  At the same time, as our teens get older, we also need to foster independence.  They need to be ready for that time in which they leave home. As soon as you try to stifle a teen’s individuality or you don’t allow for healthy growth toward independence, you stand in the way of having a good relationship.  … Continue reading →

Toddlers and Teenagers

Oh, the strong will that a toddler can possess! I clearly remember those days of my two and three year olds wanting to do their own thing. Who would have ever thought I would revisit those years when they became teenagers? I have never told my teens that they act like toddlers. But in my mind I am often brought back to that time of the word, “No!” They stand their ground, ready to do battle. And the same can happen during these sometimes tumultuous years. Here is the big difference. It may have sometimes been with some kicking and … Continue reading →

I’m Not You

“I’m not you!” Why did those words sting a bit? It felt like my teen daughter was trying to let me know that she had no desire to be me…as if maybe there was something wrong with that? The reality is that my daughter wanted me to stop judging her. And she was right. She isn’t me. This was part of a painful conversation that we had several months ago, in the midst of what I can only call a tsunami of problems. Suddenly that close relationship we had was being rocked. And part of the problem was the fact … Continue reading →

You Just Never Know

It has been one of “those” mornings. My youngest son woke up late and put the rest of the family behind. When we should have been walking out the door, same child was trying to quick finish something for school. Because we left later, there was much more traffic at the school to deal with. That meant more opportunities to be cut off, passed or to wait in the very long drop off line. Needless to say this also resulted in my day getting set back. You would think my mood would be sour. Normally my daughter would have been … Continue reading →

Teen Driving Disaster

My 67-year-old grandmother taught me how to drive. True story. The woman had the patience of a saint. My parents didn’t step foot in a car that I was navigating until I was fully licensed. They didn’t teach any of my brothers how to drive either. We were all sent to Driver’s Ed, and logged our permit hours with our teacher or other family members in various public parking lots and on empty rural roads. Needless to say, my mom won’t be teaching my daughter how to drive when that dreadful day comes. Rather, the job will likely fall to … Continue reading →

Most Teens Hide What They Do Online

A few months ago I attended a parenting class at my church. One of the dads was expressing how it is our job to monitor our teen’s use of technology. Of course that makes sense, right? But as I pointed out, it isn’t always so easy. Let’s face it…teens usually know more about technology than we do. That means they can get around things. For instance, some parents look at the computer’s history to see which websites their children have been on. But most kids know how to clear out their history. A recent survey from McAfee found that 71% … Continue reading →