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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.

Tuesday, April 01, 2008

Teens Mostly Happy with Their Lives

A new survey by a national consumer research group finds that the vast majority (over 70%) of teens rate themselves as happy with their friends, talents, grades, health, and family members.

Most teens (58%) are also happy with their bodies and looks (68%). The 13- to 17 year-old group also believes that looks are important to the way you feel about yourself and to being respected by others.

When asked the age-old question of "love or money," teens clearly preferred popularity. Only 24% chose "having a lot of money" compared to the 75% who preferred "having a lot of friends." However, 47% would rather become one of the world's 50 richest people compared to 53% who would rather be among the world's most beautiful.

The Intelligence Group is a market research, trend-forecasting, and consulting company focusing on Gen X, Gen Y, moms, teens and tweens. This survey involved interviews of 750 teenagers.

"The answers to our questions surprised many in the marketing community," said Jane Buckingham, president of the Intelligence Group. "We need to rethink how to appeal to this demographic."

Labels: happiness, mental_health, teenagers

posted by ByParents-forParents at 11:38 AM 0 comments

Tuesday, January 15, 2008

Teens Getting a Bad Rap

When describing today's teenagers, people are likely to use words like "rebellious" and "confrontational" or phrases like "acting out" or "low self-esteem". But a recent survey conducted by Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD) has found the opposite is true for most teens.

"...there is significant evidence from SADD that the majority of teens feel happy almost every day and perceive themselves as friends (77 percent), honest (72 percent) and smart (72 percent). Similarly, more than six in ten say they can handle change well and are liked by others."

The survey results are confirmed by Tufts University profess Richard M. Lerner, whose new book "The Good Teen" found that many adolescents consider themselves to be of good character, caring, competent and confident.

Island View's programs for troubled teens offer teenagers a chance to work on their emotions and behaviors while earning school credits.

Labels: emotions, happiness, perceptions

posted by ByParents-forParents at 7:40 PM 1 comments

Monday, December 10, 2007

Younger Siblings 'Keep the Peace' with First-borns

Younger siblings play down their successes and employ other strategies to preserve their relationships with first-borns, according to a new study of teens in Australia.

University of Queensland professors Pat Noller and Anita Blakely-Smith looked at 355 pairs of siblings ages 13 to 17 years. They found that first-borns enjoy exerting power over younger brothers and sisters, while the younger ones work to keep the peace. The younger siblings were more aware of the older siblings' need for self-esteem, but the first-borns had less concern for their siblings' feelings and enjoyed their successes.

The researchers also found that a similar dynamic occurs in twins, even when the age gap is just a few minutes.

Labels: happiness, relationships, siblings

posted by ByParents-forParents at 7:05 PM 0 comments

Sunday, September 09, 2007

Two-Thirds of Teens "Happy" with Life, Optimistic about Future, Survey Discovers

If you are an average American teenager, happiness is a cellphone, spending time with family, and having spiritual and religious values, according to a study by the Associated Press and MTV. You also want to be rich when you grow up.

In a survey of 1280 people ages 13 to 24 years old, almost two-thirds told interviewers that they are currently happy with their lives and optimistic about their futures. Eighty-percent of those happy with their lives also said that religion and spirituality was important to them. Spending time with family and friends was the top priority of 45% of those surveyed. Two-thirds of respondents believe that new technology, such as cell phones and computers, makes people happier.

Some 70% of the young people reported that they want to be rich someday, and 50% believe that they will attain that goal.

Labels: future, happiness, optimistic

posted by ByParents-forParents at 3:45 PM 0 comments

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