3WAYS TO MOTIVATE YOUR TEEN TOWARDS SUCCESS

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3WAYS TO MOTIVATE YOUR TEEN TOWARDS SUCCESS

Motivation is based on what we attach value to.  The old way of trying to ensure teens follow through was to slam them with a consequence.  Well the new generation of teens are smarter and don’t care about consequences most of the time.  Sure they may initially throw a fit and yell and scream but generally they fall into apathy quickly and parents feel hopeless that their approach failed.  So here are the 3 ways to ensure your teen is motivated without nagging, arguing or using consequences.

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5 CRITICAL STRATEGIES TO MANAGING BLENDED FAMILIES

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5 CRITICAL STRATEGIES TO MANAGING BLENDED FAMILIES

In today's society of frequent divorce and remarriage the term blended family has become a norm.  While "The Brady Bunch" highlighted the reality of this arrangement back in the 60's, it is more often than not a more painful transition and ongoing experience for both the children and the parents.  Thankfully, by incorporating these 5 critical strategies, you can have the best plan to eliminate many of the challenges that might otherwise derail your new family dynamic.

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3 WAYS TO HELP YOUR TEEN COPE WITH DIVORCE

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3 WAYS TO HELP YOUR TEEN COPE WITH DIVORCE

With the divorce rate in America passing 50 percent, and with the stress of children cited as one of the leading reasons for divorce, it is important to know the best way to support your teen through this painful and inherently sad process.  Here are 3 ways to help your teens cope with divorce.

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HOW TO MOVE FROM DEFIANCE TO COMPLIANCE IN YOUR TEEN

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HOW TO MOVE FROM DEFIANCE TO COMPLIANCE IN YOUR TEEN

Being a teenager means to suffer from the disease of defiance.  For some, it is merely refusing to do the dishes or taking out the trash.  For others, it is refusing to do their homework or chronically cutting school.  Some teens go as far as threating violence against their parents, cursing at them, throwing objects or punching holes in the wall.

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HOW TO STOP YOUR TEEN BEFORE THE FIRST DRUG EXPERIENCE

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HOW TO STOP YOUR TEEN BEFORE THE FIRST DRUG EXPERIENCE

As parents we are tasked to protect our children from mistakes that can have repercussions that last their lifetime.  We understand that most poor choices can offer excellent learning opportunities but there are some pitfalls that keep us up at night with thoughts of dread.  In my experience, there is no greater point of worry than the thought that your teenage son or daughter is experimenting with drugs.

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3 MAJOR COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES ON HOW TO TALK TO YOUR TEEN

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3 MAJOR COMMUNICATION STRATEGIES ON HOW TO TALK TO YOUR TEEN

As any parent of a teen will tell you, they are not very forthcoming with information.  Ask any teenager how their day went, and many times you will hear “fine,” “good,” or simply “ok” as a response.  This can be frustrating when all a parent really wants is a close relationship with their teen to have a better understanding of their decision making process and to have peace of mind that they or actually, “fine.”

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5 TEEN WARNING SIGNS OF SERIOUS DEPRESSION

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5 TEEN WARNING SIGNS OF SERIOUS DEPRESSION

Depression is the most serious mental health issue facing our teens today.  This year 2.8 million American teens will experience depression.  Of those 2.8 million, 30 percent will also develop a substance use disorder, and a depressed teen is 12 times more likely to commit suicide.  

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PROTECTING YOUR TEEN FROM DIGITAL ADDICTIONS

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PROTECTING YOUR TEEN FROM DIGITAL ADDICTIONS

It is no secret that we live in the digital age.  Since the introduction of the internet over 2 decades ago, to the creation of the smartphone a decade later, we have been moving at lighting speed to find ways in which we can incorporate technology into all facets of our lives. 

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5 MAJOR TIPS TO SURVIVE THE PROM

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5 MAJOR TIPS TO SURVIVE THE PROM

Prom night is the end of childhood for your teen, the beginning of adulthood, and the true test of responsibility and behaving. Teens spend almost the entire year planning, shopping, and talking about prom night; they see the few hours as one of the most important night of their college career. However parents see the night as emotional and riddled with fear.

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HOW TO AVOID ARGUING: TEACHING TEENS R-E-S-P-E-C-T

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HOW TO AVOID ARGUING: TEACHING TEENS R-E-S-P-E-C-T

As your child grows up, it is likely you will disagree on various things. It will start out as simple arguments, such as putting their coat on or putting toys away. As they reach adolescence, these arguments will grow to more serious topics, and if you aren’t careful, they will grow to more seriously sized arguments with worse repercussions.

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HOW TO RESPOND TO YOUR TEENS MUSIC: ART OF SELF-EXPRESSION

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HOW TO RESPOND TO YOUR TEENS MUSIC: ART OF SELF-EXPRESSION

Music can take many forms, but at its root in every form it relays various emotions. Sounds and lyrics portray and talk about love, heartbreak, friendship, tragedy, happiness, sadness, and loneliness. It is the one form of art that is relatable no matter your age, gender, or race, or what you are going through. You can find music to fit your mood, attitude and want for self-expression.

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PRAISE AS A CONSTRUCTIVE TOOL: ENDING THE NEGATIVE COMMUNICATION CYCLE

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PRAISE AS A CONSTRUCTIVE TOOL: ENDING THE NEGATIVE COMMUNICATION CYCLE

As a parent, life is full of balancing on many fine lines of too little and too much. Communication can undoubtedly go into that category of “hard to balance.” Communication is a prime tool in raising children, it affects their reaction, their interaction with others, and their expectation as they grow. Thus, it is important to keep communication positive, and less negative, no matter what the situation you may be facing.

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STRAIGHT TALK WITH YOUR TEEN ABOUT DATING & SEX

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STRAIGHT TALK WITH YOUR TEEN ABOUT DATING & SEX

The topic that most parents dread as their child nears the teenage years: dating and sexuality. But if you are dreading it, think about how your teen feels? You were their age once. Except now things are probably a little different; there are millions of resources at their fingertips thanks to the internet. The sooner that you can talk to them about dating and sex before they learn what they need to know from the media, friends, and their own personal research, the better.

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5 WARNING SIGNS YOUR TEEN IS BEING BULLIED

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5 WARNING SIGNS YOUR TEEN IS BEING BULLIED

Many parents and adults know bullying is a common issue among kids, especially in their teenage years, but most do not know just how common or the effects it can cause short and long term. More than one out of every five (20.8%) students report being bullied according to the National Center for Educational Statistics (2016). To put that statistic into perspective, for a class with 30 students, about every sixth is bullied.

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3 WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR TEEN

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3 WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR TEEN

If you are a parent who struggles to connect with your teen then this article is for you. Your teen is in need of your assistance to overcome the difficulties they come across in day-to-day life. Your teen is going through a series of mental and physical changes in their life. As a result, they can’t effectively navigate the stressors of life without the support of their parents.

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THE INFAMOUS MIDDLE SCHOOL PEER PRESSURE: REAL STRATEGIES

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THE INFAMOUS MIDDLE SCHOOL PEER PRESSURE: REAL STRATEGIES

A recent client of mine was severely bullied for having an iPhone older than a 5.  He asked his mom to change schools.  Another client was sent home in tears because he liked theatre more than sports.  Furthermore, a young girl was publicly shamed because it was discovered that she was sending naked pictures of herself to boys she liked because she was told they would like her. 

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HOW TIMMY, A 15-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL TEEN, TURNED FROM BEING THE SCHOOL REBEL TO THE CLASS VALEDICTORIAN.

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HOW TIMMY, A 15-YEAR-OLD HIGH SCHOOL TEEN, TURNED FROM BEING THE SCHOOL REBEL TO THE CLASS VALEDICTORIAN.

You see, when Timmy’s parents first called me for a consultation they where distraught.  They had found Timmy’s phone lying on the counter while he was at soccer practice, and they decided to take a look.  What they saw shocked them to say the least.  In his SnapChat story, they saw pictures of him with huge clouds of smoke coming out of his mouth.

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5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD LEARN HOW TO PARENT YOUR TEENS FROM THE EXPERTS 


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5 REASONS WHY YOU SHOULD LEARN HOW TO PARENT YOUR TEENS FROM THE EXPERTS 


I want my teenager to take school seriously.  I want to be done with all the back and forth arguing that happens every time I ask my teen to do anything around the house.  If only my teen was respectful, would it be so much easier to hear his point of view. 

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NEGOTIATION SKILLS AS AN EFFECTIVE TEEN PARENTING STRATEGY

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NEGOTIATION SKILLS AS AN EFFECTIVE TEEN PARENTING STRATEGY

Does this sound familiar?  “Because I am your parent and I said so!”  The next statement would sound like this, “well I am still not doing it and you can’t make me.”  Ultimately, this exchange ends with a behavioral escalation and then consequences.  None of which results in the desired task being completed.

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