Sometimes teens would rather hear us talk less. We need to show that we care with our eyes, touch and body language. Sometimes a hug or an arm around the shoulders will help a teen feel he or she can tell you what is on his or her mind. Today’s teens have a lot more […]
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PARENTS Q: About a month ago you wrote about a mother who was worried about her daughter’s first date. You said the boy should come in and meet you before they went out, have a snack, and tell you their plans for the date (even if your daughter had already told you). Don’t you think
Q: Our sons are 17 and 18, one in high school and one in college. This year they want to go to Florida or the Bahamas on spring break and they are asking us for the money. They would drive down with friends but they don’t know where they will be staying; it depends on
Q: I usually agree with your advice, but when you were a teen in the 1950s, your family had more time to have talks and do things together. Today there’s just not enough time. — K.P., Clear Lake, Texas A: I agree that making time to interact with their teens is one of the biggest
Some people were brought up in families that practiced daily conversations. Teens are bombarded with sounds. They may relish moments of silence and reflection. Sometimes school and family are the last things they want to talk about. Your child might even want to talk to someone about her fears, hopes or dreams . . .
Many kids in their early teens who wish to become actively involved in some summer activities, but yet are too young for regular employment have other options available. Many places, like the parks and public zoos, will not use young volunteers because of insurance risks, but The Humane Society is often a viable option. They
Heart-to-heart communication differs with each child. Even though you feel you are not receiving from one daughter, what you are sending to her may still be effective. If your standoffish daughter still asks your opinion on things important to her, she is communicating and interacting. Even if your conversations are brief, she may be getting
Q: Last year a friend of mine committed suicide. I can’t forget it and keep feeling I could have done something to prevent it. I know I get depressed sometimes, but I can snap out of it. I guess many other teens can’t. I read that 5,000 commit suicide each year and that it is
Q: My wife and I work long hours at high-stress jobs in order to have the time and money to take one or two nice vacations each year. The last three have been disasters because of the way our teenagers (a son, l7, and a daughter, 15) behave. We spend the whole time trying to
The entire nation was stunned when Magic Johnson announced recently that he is infected with the AIDS virus. His commitment to work for AIDS prevention has been applauded nationwide. There has been some controversy, however, about his initial “Safe Sex” message– with many feeling that abstinence, an option he is now advocating along with safe
Has your child been given one of the following labels at school? ⢠Learning disabled ⢠Emotionally disturbed ⢠Mentally retarded ⢠Educationally handicapped ⢠Neurologically impaired These are a few of the many terms used to label children in schools across the country. Schools label kids because it’s an efficient way of handling students
One important key to helping your child succeed in school is to become a “strength detective” at home! Make a list of all the wonderful things about your child. Include information about special talents your child may possess, such as musical or artistic abilities, positive qualities your child demonstrates, including attributes such as creativity, courage
There are many dinosaur books for the elementary school child. For somewhat older youngsters, two recent books are Dinosaurs And Their World by Steven Parker and My Life With The Dinosaurs by Steven and Sylvia Czerkas. Dinosaurs And Their World is lavishly illustrated, describing the anatomy and mode of life of a variety of prehistoric
God must have loved children, for he made the dinosaurs. And publishers know it, because there are lots and lots of books about dinosaurs. Among the newest ones are Dinosaur Discoveries by Robin West and Bob and Diane Wolf, an ingenious book with step-by-step instructions for actually making your own dinosaurs out of construction paper,
I’m so glad you’re interested in ecology books for children, for if the planet is going to be preserved it’s the present generation of children that will have to do it. One good book on the subject is The Lost Kingdom of Karneka, a fairy tale by Richard Kennedy, co-published by the Sierra Club. This
Horses have an almost magical attraction for children. There are more good horse stories than you can shake a saddle at. Two very beautiful books are The Blind Colt by Glen Rounds, and Song Of The Horse by Richard Kennedy. Glen Rounds grew up on a Montana ranch himself, and there’s not much he doesn’t
Swearing has become commonplace in our society, largely due to TV and the movies, not to mention those bumper stickers. Children today hear bad language in grade school that used to be reserved for high school. But that doesn’t mean you have to listen to it. Here are some suggestions: ⢠First, have a rule,
Attention deficit disorder, also called hyperactivity, is the most common of the learning disabilities. It occurs in 3% or 4% of children, mostly in boys. This characteristic is usually inherited. To help your child compensate, try these approaches: ⢠First, improve his listening skills by reading to him. Reading to your child every day is
Heredity alone accounts for most mild obesity. Moderate obesity is usually caused by a combination of heredity, overeating, and under exercising. These are the factors you’ll need to deal with. Keep in mind that helping children lose weight between five and 12 years of age is very difficult, because they have access to so many
“Growing pains” is a term we use for low grade muscle pains that we can’t otherwise explain. They occur in about 10% of school age children. They occur in the muscles of the thigh or the lower leg, not the joints. They tend to be worse in the evening, but don’t awaken a child from
