“Kids are hard,” my friend said this weekend and my girlfriends who had gathered from four different states, and are all moms of teens, nodded so hard in agreement that we may have sprained our necks.
Over the course of our weekend together, we touched on some common topics that are issues for us all. I found a few articles with tips on how to handle some of those minefields. These helpful articles may not make kids easier, but they may help make parenting a little bit easier.
On helping teens have healthy relationships with other kids
“8 Strategies to Handle Peer Pressure” by on Center for Parent & Teen Communication
“When teens make a choice that is right for them and stick with it, they learn to express their values. What is ok for one person may cross a line with another. Remind your teens that they are their own people making their own choices. It is up to them (not their friends) to decide what they value. It is up to us as parents, to establish the boundaries that will keep them safe.”
On nutrition and establishing health food habits with your teen (because you are what you eat)
“Changing Food Behavior: Can Parents Change a Teen’s Food Habits?” by R. Scott Olds, M.D., on Your Teen for Parents
“[L]et your teen know that you understand you can’t control their decisions in your absence, but establish clear expectations. You are trying to fulfill your responsibility as a parent by arming your teens with skills for when they eventually leave home.”
On the not terribly fun but very important topic of car insurance for new drivers (hold me)
“An Insurance Expert Gives Parents Tips On Car Insurance for Teens” on Grown and Flown
“Parents are typically most concerned with price when adding a young driver to their auto insurance policy. But, parents should more so be concerned with their level of liability protection. Parents should use the opportunity to right-size their liability coverage so as to fully protect their assets if the young driver (or any other household driver) should cause an accident.”
On the importance of getting enough sleep
“Parents, I think I’ve found the fountain of youth. It’s in my pillow.” by Kristin V. Shaw in The Washington Post
“Every time you say ‘yes’ to something, you’re saying no to something else. For many women, that something is sleep,” says Deborah Gilboa, a Pittsburgh-based family doctor.
