Parenting Teens - Getting Your Point Across

Written by Carol Shepley


Giving advice to a teenager is very easy; getting a teenager to take that advice is another matter altogether. It's not only a case ofrepparttar advice 'falling on deaf ears', sometimesrepparttar 110295 teenager seems to go deliberately out of their way to dorepparttar 110296 exact opposite, that's when you know you've got a problem. So how do you go about giving advice to a teen?

The short answer to this question is "don’t". Now at first glance this probably sounds ridiculous, after all parents have more experience of life and most would agree that a parent's job is to pass this experience onto their children. Butrepparttar 110297 problem with giving advice is that it's really just a way of maintaining control. We often cover it up by saying we know what's best inrepparttar 110298 situation, we haverepparttar 110299 experience and knowledge, but in reality what we're saying is what we want to happen, this is what we want you to do.

Adolescence is a time for learning to self-manage, to take responsibility for yourself and your actions. It's an essential process if your teen is to become a well-adjusted, fully functioning adult ready forrepparttar 110300 21st century. And a fundamental part ofrepparttar 110301 process is handing over control to your teen.

For most parents this is a really scary thought. They're concerned about what will happen if they do, that if they give up some control it will mean they lose all control. They're concerned about what their teen will do or what happens if they get it wrong, in other words they feel a need to protect their teen.

Firstly, handing over control at this stage is more about handing over responsibility and accountability on how to do something, not handing over total control. It's about letting your teen have an involvement in how to solve a particular problem, it's about teaching them problem solving skills. If you always providerepparttar 110302 solution how will they ever learn to do it for themselves?

Secondly, your teen is very likely to get it 'wrong', to make mistakes and what is wrong about that? You’re teaching them how to self-correct, just as they did when they first learned to ride a bike and kept falling off. Making mistakes is a natural part ofrepparttar 110303 learning process; more learning comes from making mistakes than comes from getting it 'right'. How much does it really matter if they don’t get it 'right' first time or chooserepparttar 110304 'best' alternative?

Fitness – It’s A Family Affair

Written by Sue DeFiore


OK, you are eating healthier meals and now you want to get your family to exercise together. First, sit down and talk aboutrepparttar different things you all like to do. Give everyone a turn to come up with a week’s worth of activities. Numerous studies have shown that if you exercise for 30 consecutive days it becomes a habit. So once you all get pastrepparttar 110294 first month it will become routine and part of your lifestyle. Just remember to keep it fun and give everyone a chance to participate in coming up with different things to do. Everyone wants to give input, no one likes to be told over and over what to do!

One of my favorites is dancing. Everyone gets to pick their favorite music and you all get to dance to it. It is also fun forrepparttar 110295 younger generation to watchrepparttar 110296 older one dance.

Another favorite of mine is swimming. If you have a YMCA, community center, or if your school is lucky enough to have a pool see if you can get some swim time in. You can also get creative here also with different types of swimming, races, or water ballet. Another option if you haverepparttar 110297 pool to yourself is pool volleyball!

One great gamerepparttar 110298 whole family can play is Twister, plus it hasrepparttar 110299 added advantage of stretching all those muscles. Be sure you play enough games to get those muscles warmed up (4-8 games). Since weather is one ofrepparttar 110300 main reasons why many aroundrepparttar 110301 country don’t get outside to walk, try going torepparttar 110302 Mall. Walk at a nice brisk pace for at least 20-30 minutes or less if you feel you are getting short of breath. Then since you are there reward yourself with some window shopping. Ifrepparttar 110303 mall isn’t your thing, pick another indoor facility where you can do some brisk walking.

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