Lying is particularly hard on parents, because it feels like a betrayal. Moreover, it can be really confusing! If you know a teen who lies regularly, you may not know what to believe anymore, even when they are telling the…
If you’re the parent of an older teen or young adult, the thought of launching your child into the world can be frightening; particularly if they have shown very few signs that they will be able to handle “real life”…
It’s everywhere. For most of us, as parents, it’s not a matter of “if”, but “when” your child will be exposed to pornography. But what do you DO if you catch your child looking at porn? How do you keep…
Does it seem like all you do is nag your kids? Are you frustrated because this is the sixth time you have asked your child to take out the garbage? Nagging and arguing can become the frustrating norm in many…
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Teens long for independence. As kids get older, parents and teens often begin to have opposing goals which may create varied degrees of conflict. Kids are working to become free from their parents, while parents are still working at setting…
In our work coaching hundreds of parents of tweens and teens over the years, we’ve uncovered six common themes that leave teens feeling a little more encouraged and willing to respect their parents. (And, if you’re a parent of…
When kids become teens, they start acting like they don’t need us. If we don’t understand why they’re doing this, and figure out ways to respond gracefully, we risk building resentment in the relationship. It helps to understand that teens…
Peer relationships carry increasing influence as children grow up. And sometimes, these relationships can be reason for parents to feel increasingly anxious. Kids may choose good friends or they may not. Parents, wanting what’s best for their kids, have a…
In this article I wrote about how my junior high daughter creatively and proactively asked for an iPod by preparing a well-thought-out list of answers to concerns she thought I might have. Here’s the rest of the story! My daughter’s proactive…
My daughter approached me with a typical question — one I’ve heard one hundred seventy-three times (but who’s counting). “Dad, can I have an iPod Touch?” But this time, her approach was different. She made a good pitch — she had…