News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

Their names and faces are all over the media: Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, Michael Vick -- the list goes on. Celebrity scandal is everywhere, and many of the celebrities are admired by our kids. How much should we worry about the influence famous people might have on children?

According to an iVillage article by Patrick Sandora, the degree of danger is dependent upon a number of factors:

The truth is not all kids are affected. Which kids are more vulnerable to those tainted-type heroes usually depends upon four big factors. So here is a quick quiz to help you weigh the "Parent Worry Factor."

• Is your child tween-aged (middle school, pre-adolescent?
• Does your child have a weak identity?
• Does your child lack other outside interests?
• Do you have a weak relationship with your child?

No one item is a cause for concern, so take a breath. Instead look for multiple items that describe your child. The more true items, the more you should tune into a bit closer and extend your radar.

Developing a strong relationship with your child, encouraging a wide range of interests and building your child's self-esteem can go a long way toward avoiding problems when a "hero" is revealed by be anything but heroic.

Labels: mental_health, celebrities

Posted By: Aspen/CRC 0 Comments

The increasing number of television shows that focus on rich teenagers is affecting the pocketbooks of real parents. Fictional TV characters can easily sport the latest trends from Coach or Abercrombie, because they don't have to pay for it. But how can real parents help their children understand that expensive purses just don't fit into the family budget?

"Estimate how much you spend a year on your kids' clothes and then divide it by four (for each season) or 12 (for each month). Younger kids can be in charge of just part of the budget, and older kids can try the whole thing, says Atlanta pediatrician Jennifer Shu... The strategy allows kids to complain about Abercrombie's prices instead of 'how cheap you are'..."

Psychologist Margot Touris also suggests talking to kids about the shows they watch. For example, children who watch Gossip Girl may think that the show depicts real life for most teenagers, when in fact it's only reality for a select few. Also, the clothing that many celebrities wear is given to them - another fact that may help teens put their fashion needs and wants into proper perspective. Source: Newsweek

Labels: influences, celebrities, clothing

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments