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News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

The By Parents For Parents Blog is regularly updated with the latest news and information on topics that relate to parenting teenagers. We'll post parenting advice and tips from trusted online news sources and expert parenting columns.

We invite you to add your comments. Please let us know if you would like some specific topics covered, want to share your experience as a parent dealing with teens, or just have general feedback on the By Parents For Parents Blog.

Friday, May 30, 2008

Family Stress Affects Teens at School

Stress at home affects teens' lives at school, and stress at school carries over into their family lives, according to a new study from the University of California, Los Angeles.

Dr. Lisa Flook and her colleagues studied 503 teenagers in the ninth through twelfth grades. Those who experienced higher levels of family stress in their freshman years had poorer academic records by senior year. Students with higher levels of academic problems in ninth grade experienced greater family stress in twelfth grade.

"The two-directional process of spillover between family and school identified here suggests that reducing stress in the family may have benefits for adolescents' school adjustment and vice versa," Dr. Flook wrote in the journal Child Development.

Labels: families, school, stress

posted by ByParents-forParents at 7:14 AM 0 comments

Saturday, March 22, 2008

Maturing as a Parent

As kids grow up, they aren't the only ones who mature. Parents go through their own maturation process, adjusting to inevitable changes.

"Many of your family's practices change, just because your children won't always be around for them. Accepting these changes as gracefully as possible is part of your maturation as a parent. Family dinners were our first casualty... I've learned to plan plenty for dinner, and then enjoy leftovers for lunch the next day if everyone isn't here."

Boyfriends, girlfriends, sport teams and activities begin interfering with family time and routine as kids move into adolescence. Though it can be hard, parents need to pull back, readjust their expectations, and let kids start spreading their wings. Read more at ParentingIdeas.org.

Labels: families, maturity, relationships

posted by ByParents-forParents at 4:06 PM 0 comments

Monday, December 31, 2007

Ways to Get Your Teens Talking

Few people would argue that spending time with family is an important part of growing up. Studies have found that kids of families that regularly eat dinner together are less likely to start using drugs or alcohol. Conversation is also necessary in keeping updated on what's happening in a teen's life. But getting the conversation started can be difficult. Vanessa Van Petten has some suggestions.

"Find a time once a week where your family can get together and talk about a certain issue or play a game. Make it consistent. One family I know has every family member during the week write down at least five words they came upon in everyday life they didn't recognize. It makes both parents and kids think about the 'challenge' during the week, they get to learn new words and supposedly they have some pretty funny guessing games and example sentences on their weekly Sunday night challenge."

Other options to consider are having a family game night or attending local concerts and festivals. The key is to do something together that can spark conversation, making it easier for teens and parents to talk.

Labels: communication, families, quality_time

posted by ByParents-forParents at 2:29 PM 0 comments

Tuesday, June 19, 2007

Balancing Work and Family

Most people today struggle to keep a healthy balance between work and family. It used to be challenge reserved for single parents, but today even those who have a spouse or significant other find themselves running short on time.

"Many parents struggle with tensions between work and family. Parents say job demands are the #1 thing that makes parenting difficult, according to Search Institute surveys. Two-thirds of parents surveyed by Public Agenda, a national opinion research company, say they worry some or a lot about juggling the demands of work and family."

The Search Institute suggests that parents use the principles outlined in its Developmental Assets framework to better manage the tension between family and work. Principles include setting values and priorities, having the whole family work on chores together, and setting aside specific time to spend with family members. Read more at MVParents.com.

The best boarding schools can make all the difference in a child's future. Find the best boarding schools at BoardingSchoolsInfo.com.

Labels: families, tension, working

posted by ByParents-forParents at 9:46 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, April 18, 2007

More Shopping Malls Restricting Teens

More shopping malls are requiring that adults accompany teens under age sixteen during certain hours, particularly on weekends. Malls are also putting in teen curfews, most often on Friday and Saturday nights.

So far, only about forty out of the nation's 1100 malls have put such rules into effect, but these include some of the largest facilities such as the Mall of America in Minnesota, which has 520 stores.

The idea behind the curfew and chaperon rules is to make the malls friendlier to families.

Labels: chaperons, curfews, families

posted by ByParents-forParents at 12:01 PM 0 comments

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