Kids & Teens Parenting

Can't Make Fast and Furious Food Changes

2005-09-28T16:15:00.000-07:00

by: Sue DeFiore

OK, moms and dads out there, we hear you when you say, my
children won't eat healthy foods. If we even say the
word, they tune out and already decide they don't
like it. Well, my first response to this is "who
is running the house, you or the kids". If you say
the kids, you have more problems than I can help you with.
Put your foot down, you and your husband, spouse,
significant other, (fill in the blank) are the ones making
the living and doing the providing. I fully realize that
children don't like the concept of healthy foods.
However, most children don't realize that many of the
foods they do like are healthy for them. Most kids I know
love peanut butter, well that is a good food for them. So
try some peanut butter on that apple or celery they refuse
to eat. Or try some low fat or fat free cheese sauce on the
cauliflower or broccoli they turn their nose up at.

One of the biggest mistakes parents make it to try to
implement changes all at once. This is a certain recipe for
rebellion. Try to make changes gradually. You know those
smoothies they love so much. Rather than the milkshake try
some yogurt and fruit instead. All kids love French fries
(even many adults I know do). Rather than fries try
substituting tortilla chips and salsa instead.

I have a friend who decided that her family was going to eat
healthy and she threw out all the snacks foods and junk
foods in the house. Well needless to say her spouse and the
kids went ballistic. So make it a gradual change. Start by
making some changes to the snacks around the house and then
work up to the meals. In the long run you will be glad you
did and so will your children.

Copyright, 2005, DeFiore Enterprises

About The Author

Sue DeFiore

Introducing Keep Kids Fit: A How To Guide For Setting Up And
Running Your Own Business In One Year Or Less! Solutions
for parents who want healthy children in body and mind! Our
motto, "Eat Healthy, Live Healthy, Help Keep Kids
Fit" Keep Kids Fit asks the question: Do You Want
To Help Foster A Healthy Lifestyle For Your Child! If you
answered yes, then visit our web blog at:
http://hbsblogs.typepad.com/keepkidsfit/ and visit our
website today at: http://www.keepkidsfit.com

suedefiore@sbcglobal.net

Cleaning a Child's Bedroom - 15 Minutes a Day

2005-08-15T16:43:00.000-07:00

by: Jess Knutson

Here is a simple plan to help your child/teen keep their rooms clean. Don't worry if the room is a disaster. Just set the timer for 15 minutes each day and get started. Continue clearing clutter each day until you find the tops of the dressers and the floor. By the end of the week, you will be amazed at the progress! When you are ready… start the weekly plan.

During the first few weeks, you may want to assist (or at least supervise). Start by making sure that everything in the room has a home. Don't worry about perfect organization, just get the surfaces cleared off.

Supplies Needed

Trash bag
Laundry basket
Donate bucket - get rid of the items that they no longer love!
Assorted baskets or buckets for smaller items
Labels - labels make organizing easier
Every Day

Make the bed - have your child do this before the daily task

Monday

Clear all surfaces (dressers, table, nightstands, etc.)

Tuesday

Dust all surfaces - this should be easy since they are all cleared off.

Wednesday

Clear the floor (just the visible parts for today)

Thursday

Sweep or vacuum

Friday

Pick a spot - you or your child can pick one spot for the day. Make a list of all the problem spots in the room and slowly check them off.
- Under the bed
- Behind the dresser
- One dresser drawer
- One shelf
- _________________
- _________________
- _________________
- _________________

Saturday

Change sheets and bring all laundry to laundry room

Sunday

Free Day - you can also use this as a make up day

Each week, make a mental note of the items that end up scattered about. Use baskets, boxes, shelves or create your own solution to keep these items together. You may need to try several different solutions before you find one that works. If something seems to be working... leave it alone!

Each day, encourage your child to perform the scheduled tasks. Give them a time limit and use a timer (15 minutes should be enough time). Don't be too picky, just try to guide them. They will soon figure out that if they clear their dresser on Monday and throw everything on the floor, that on Wednesday they will have to pick that stuff up AGAIN when they clear the floor.

Remember... it only takes 15 minutes per day to keep your child's bedroom neat and clean.

About The Author

Jess Knutson

FutureSAHM.com provides practical information for women who stay at home or would like to stay home with their children. This site is also useful for working moms who would like to make life just a little bit easier.

Mommie Moments - Taking Time For Yourself

2005-07-06T05:11:00.000-07:00

by: Heather J. Tait

Being a parent is a role that requires a large majority of
our attention and time. Whether you have one child or
fourteen children, you are more than likely aware that
personal time is at a minimal. As a mother your attention is
always on demand. There are meals to be made, clothes to be
washed, and rooms to be cleaned. Not to mention other
responsibilities like entertaining hungry little minds.

So where does your time fit into this equation? Regardless
of time restraints, it is imperative for a mother's
well-being to have a little down time. Even a half hour to
an hour a day can be a refreshing overhaul for a
mother's daily routine. A moment to gather your
thoughts without distractions can refresh your spirit and
attitude, making you that much more prepared to meet the
demands of your children, your family, and your life.

Nurturing our children begins with us nurturing ourselves.
When we view our personal time in this way, we are able to
see what a priority we really should be. Take time to
dedicate to personal reflection like journaling, music, or
art or whatever activity that makes you really feel apart of
yourself. If you only get small increments of time daily
then make a weekly list of what you would like to
accomplish. Manage your time, don't allow time to
manage you.

Everyone needs personal time to listen to their own voice
and reflect on their lives. But for mothers that time
isn't always readily available. And often your
personal time is overlooked by those around you. The only
person that can make your time a priority is you. So make
sure you set boundaries wherever necessary. While your
children are napping, utilize that time for yourself. Let
the dishes wait and grab a book or do some exercise instead.
Remember that the time you invest in yourself is time well
spent.

**** PUBLISHING GUIDELINES ****

Publishing Guidelines: Permission is granted by author to
publish content electronically for free publications only,
providing that all links remains active and resource box is
left intact. An email notification of use is appreciated.
To view more free content articles from this author or to
sign up to be on our mailing list, please visit
http://www.silencespeaks.com/journal/

About The Author

Artist and Inspirational Author Heather J. Tait work and
articles are displayed internationally. She is the founder
of Silence Speaks International Artist Association and the
Editor of Intrigue Magazine. Published books include, Making
Your Purpose Your Business and Recognizing Unhealthy
Relationships. Email: contact@silencespeaks.com. Silence
Speaks http://www.silencespeaks.com.

-------------------------------------------

We have some great info books for you at our Kids & Teens info site

Women, War, and Dating

2005-06-28T14:45:00.000-07:00

Hi there, this is a really enjoyable article and will bring
a smile to your face. Ed williams has a great way of
writing and if you have a teenage son, you will be able to
relate to this article for Teen Parenting, very well.

Don't forget to check out our great e-books on parenting for
kids and teens here

Women, War, and Dating

by: Ed Williams

I guess I should've figured something like this would
happen one day. My son Will, who has just turned sixteen,
is now dating, and was out on one this past Saturday night.
I happened to be sitting in the den watching one of those
high speed cop chase TV shows when he returned home from
said date. He walked in, nodded, and then looked at me
somewhat seriously and said,

"Dad, I need to ask you something. Tonight I took
Candi to the movies, and I even let her pick out the movie.
I bought our tickets and I even bought her some
refreshments before we went into the theatre, even though
I'll be broke for the next two weeks. I did all that,
and then when we sat down in our seats she looked over at
me and asked if I liked her blouse? Dad, between us, it was
this weird sort of orange looking deal, in fact, it looked
just like someone had rubbed red clay all over it. I
thought I'd at least be polite, so I told her that I
liked it okay. She looked at me and said, "Just
okay?" I agreed again that I liked it okay. Dad,
she didn't hardly even speak to me for the rest of
the evening."

After a moment of meditative silence, Will asked, "
Dad, do you understand women? What should I have done
instead?"

God.

I cleared my throat for a good twenty seconds, stalled for
some more time by picking a little lint off my socks, and
then told Will that women were God's greatest
creation and that we should love, honor, and respect each
and every one of them. I then added that a ton of great
things like inventions and medical cures have come from
women. I even went on to remind him that his mother was a
woman, and we all know how guys feel about their mothers.
But, even after all that, I broke down and confessed the
following to Will, "Son, I will never understand
women. You will never understand women. Albert Einstein
didn't understand women. Hell, even Ed Jr.
doesn't even understand women!" We both
paused at that point because we realized that this was as
about as high up as we could go. I thought for a bit, then
said, "Son, we'll never understand women,
but I can help you out with your second question about what
you should have done instead."

Will listened as I continued, "Son, the first
mistake you made was even commenting on her clothes in the
first place. Never tell a woman what you really think about
her clothes. If she covers her body from head to toe in
burlap bags and ties a snake around her waist, tell her that
it's the most stylish outfit that you've ever
seen. And leave it at that. Talking to women about their
clothes is like talking to them about their relatives - no
possible good can come from it."

Will nodded, and I continued, "The second mistake
you made was buying her a bunch of stuff to eat at the
movies on the front end. If this was your first date with
her you had no idea as to how things would go. The best
thing would've been to take her into the theatre, see
how things progressed for an hour or so, and then make the
decision as to whether or not you want to blow fifteen or
twenty bucks on refreshments. If things go well, that'
s great, spend the dough with a big smile on your face. If
they don't, well, as soon as the movie is over tell
her that you think you're starting to get an
intestinal bug and that you need to get her home really
fast. Then, rush her on home, say goodbye quickly and leave,
and then stop off at Nu-Way on your way back for a couple
of tasty all-the-way dogs."

Will nodded respectfully at all that, then asked, "
So Dad, what you're telling me is that dating women
is sort of like the stock market, that you shouldn't
invest until you know more about the company's
performance?"

I sagely replied as follows, "Son, I see it more
like this. Dating is sort of like a war, you don't
want to oversupply the front until you've seen that
you've made some reasonable advances...."

About The Author

Ed's latest book, "Rough As A
Cob," can be ordered by calling River City
Publishing toll-free at: 877-408-7078. He's also a
popular after dinner speaker, and his column runs in a
number of Southeastern publications. You can contact him via
email at: ed3@ed-williams.com, or through his web site
address at: www.ed-williams.com.

8 Simple Tips To Help Your Child Read

2005-06-25T04:07:00.000-07:00

Linda Ogier has 8 simple tips to help your child read. If
you child is struggling with reading this may be just what
you need.

I know with my children, I did exactly the same thing with
both, yet one has always had a love of the written word, the
other, while they read and didn't have any trouble doing
so, it wasn't until older that the love of reading came and
then it came with the classics and not only a love of
reading the classics but collecting the old versions. Now
the three of us can spend many happy hours in book stores.

So you never know, the first thing is to help them be able
to read well and not struggle with it. So I hope you will
gain from Linda's article.

Take care and don't forget to visit our helpful e-books site
http://www.ctbmarketing-australia.com/ktebooks.htm

Carmel Baird

8 Simple Tips To Help Your Child Read

by: Linda Ogier

Take away the skill of reading and not only books become a
mysterious and foreign world, but reading train timetables,
ordering from a menu, understanding bank statements, and
any number of straightforward daily activities become
virtually impossible.

If your child is struggling to read, the effects of their
problem can reach into adulthood, be humiliating, and
extremely limiting.

The world of a non reader is a mixed up place where only
those who know the 'secret code' can decipher
the strange symbols around them and fully participate.

A sad, lonely, and stressful place indeed.

The time to catch your child's reading problems and
support them in their quest to become a confident and
capable life long reader is Primary School. Preferably
before they reach Grade 3.

Your school will be monitoring your child's progress
and implementing a detailed plan to improve their reading
skills and strategies. But, if you're worried that
the school is not, then an appointment with the teacher is a
must to thoroughly explore your concerns and issues.

Do not put this off!

After Grade 3 it is more difficult for children to bridge
the gap, learn new patterns of reading behaviour, and
develop appropriate reading strategies.

Encouraging them while they're young is vital, and
there are some things you can do at home to complement and
support your school's efforts.

Here are 8 simple ways to help your child if reading is a
struggle for them:

1. Make your reading time a regular activity at a specific
time each day. Children love structure and will look forward
to the closeness and bonding this time brings.

For some children this may be the only intimate one-on-one
time they get to spend with a parent on a regular basis.
Making reading together a special time for just the two of
you only takes 10 or 15 minutes a day, and the rewards are
tremendous.

2. Vary how you structure your reading time together.
Don't always expect your child to read to you. Read
to them sometimes. Take turns reading. Read out loud
together! Make sure it's a stress free and enjoyable
time together.

3. Use the 3 P's. Pause, prompt, praise.

Pause when your child comes to a word they don't
know. Don't jump in straight away by telling them the
word or getting them to sound it out. Let them think.

Prompt your child if they haven't answered after
about 10 - 20 seconds. Say 'Make your mouth say the
first sound', or ' What word would make sense
there?', or 'Can you tell me what would sound
right there?'. Only sound out the word if it can be
effectively sounded out.

If your child doesn't get the word after a couple of
prompts or an attempt at sounding out, tell them the word
straight away. You want to avoid feelings of failure, plus
make sure they get on with the book while they can still
remember what the story is about.

Praise your child for their efforts. Say something like
'Well done, you made it look and sound right',
or 'Well done, you used the first sound to help you
figure out the rest of the word'. If they
didn't get the word, simply praise them for trying
their best… 'That was a great try - well
done'. Be as specific as possible.

4. Not every single word has to be right. Refrain from
picking on every last error unless you want to make your
child feel inadequate and fearful of making too many
mistakes. This will contribute to their negative attitude
towards reading and make their progress even slower.

If your child is gaining the overall meaning from the story
or text, then they are achieving the major goal of reading
- to decipher words and receive a message.

5. Talk, talk, talk…... Ask your child to retell their
favourite part of the book in their own words. Talk about
what they would do if they were a person from the book. Talk
about the way the characters in the book felt and why they
felt like that. Talk about interesting words from the book
and what they mean. This will help increase your
child's level of comprehension.

6. Be seen to be a reader. It's surprising how many
kids never see their own parents reading a book. A newspaper
yes - but not a book! Kids are the greatest mimics in the
world, and they especially love to copy their mum or dad.

Sit down and read your own separate books at the same time.
Share parts of your books with one another by reading them
out loud and telling why you chose that part. Make it
obvious that reading is something you personally value and
think is worthwhile.

7. Don't cover up the pictures! Never. Ever. Using
pictures is one of the ways children gather information to
support their use of sound, letter, and word skills.
Pictures support the meaning of a story and provide a
context to help children solve unknown words.

Picture story books have pictures for a reason. Many times
the text doesn't make sense without the pictures, and
asking your child to read it without looking at the
pictures will often feel like trickery to them.

8. Last but definitely not least - make reading fun! The
last thing it needs to be is a chore. You can't blame
any child for being unwilling if something is hard AND a
bore.

Find books about topics your child is interested in. Read
craft books and make things. Get out a cookbook and follow a
recipe. Get out the words to favourite songs and follow
along. Create a treasure hunt with lots of clues to read -
anything that makes reading something to look forward to.

----------

Make your reading time together regular, interesting, stress
free, and fun. Your child will benefit, and so might you!

Happy reading!

About The Author

This article was written by Linda Ogier of Fox Copy. A
teacher with 15 years experience, Linda is also a trained
Reading Recovery teacher. Fox Copy creates clever
copywriting for websites, newsletters, ads, brochures, media
releases, articles and more. Visit www.foxcopy.com.au today
to outsource your business writing needs.

A Child's Self Image

2005-06-21T05:08:00.000-07:00

by: Sue DeFiore

With all the focus on weight today it is not surprising that
children are starting to look at their bodies at earlier
ages. Children as young as 7 years of age are asking parents
about their bodies. Where are they getting it from? Well, I
would imagine television, magazines and the internet are
some of the places. However, as we were all children once,
it is also coming from other children. I can still remember
well kids making fun of other children. While I never
participated in it, I was a recipient of it, so I know how
it feels. While mine wasn't weight related, it still
hurts. From what I am seeing and reading it is even nastier
and more prevalent in our schools today.

So, what do you say to your child when they ask you if you
think they are overweight, fat, or whatever adjective was
used by another child when taunting them. As hard as it is,
you will need to convey to your child that everyone is
different. How we look and grow will depend on how we take
care of our bodies. Explain to them how body types are
dependent upon family, eating habits and physical activity.
Also be sure to tell them that they are and will be growing
and changing until their teens. If you have pictures of
yourself or others in childhood and then adulthood show them
those pictures to give them an idea of changes that occur.

Please be sure to talk to your child and do so carefully and
seriously about this. It is very very important that your
child realize he must eat breakfast, lunch and dinner, to
take his/her vitamins and to drink their milk. Don't
just ignore this discussion. Children are growing up faster
and faster today and becoming aware much earlier in life of
their body image. How children and adults view themselves
is one of the classic signs of anorexia and other eating
disorders.

If you feel you are not qualified to handle their questions,
please consult a professional to do so.

Copyright 2005, DeFiore Enterprises

About The Author

Sue DeFiore

Introducing Keep Kids Fit: A How To Guide For Setting Up And
Running Your Own Business In One Year Or Less! Solutions
for parents who want healthy children in body and mind! Our
motto, "Eat Healthy, Live Healthy, Help Keep Kids
Fit" Keep Kids Fit asks the question: Do You Want
To Help Foster A Healthy Lifestyle For Your Child! If you
answered yes, then visit our web blog at:
http://hbsblogs.typepad.com/keepkidsfit/ and visit our
website today at: http://www.keepkidsfit.com

suedefiore@sbcglobal.net

___________________________________

Why not take a look at the e-books we have selected for you
to help with your Kids and Teens
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They are inexpensive and we are sure you will find them
good value.
____________________________________

Take Advantage of Your Child's Energy Levels

2005-06-19T17:15:00.000-07:00

Take Advantage of Your Child's Energy Levels
by: Joseph Browns

"Life consists not in holding good cards but in
playing those you hold well."
-Josh Billings

If parents want to be able to make best use of time with
their children, then it is crucial for a parent to start
becoming alert to the state that their children are in.
Tired? Satisfied? Bored? His shoe hurts him? She has a
stomachache from the spaghetti? And so on....This applies
particularly during the time that children are playing with
toys. They want to be happy. And you want them to be happy
too..

Here's one way of looking at it: it's a bit
like dealing with a baby. Your baby cries. So you figure,
usually and probably it's one of four things. One,
the baby is hungry. Two, the baby needs a diaper
change.Three, the baby is tired. Or four, the baby wants to
be held. You would probably test each of these out to see
if the baby will stop crying. What's happening here
is a continual process of trying to figure out and be
sensitive to the the baby's needs. Right? So we are
dealing with a sensitivity to the child, and a willingness
to experiment to find out exactly what the baby needs. Once
the thing is done (for example, changed a dirty diaper and
put on a clean one) and the baby stops crying, and is now
smiling and gurgling, you think: "Bingo! I did the
right thing there!".

So the checklist is a key to a parent's success,
because it provides the parent with the various
possibilities of dealing with a baby's (or
child's) needs.

As babies turn into toddlers who turn into pre-schoolers who
turn into kids (and so on), their needs naturally get more
sophisticated. In order to keep up with their kids, parents
need to increase their checklist. Not only that, but to
change the checklist as the kids grow, as some needs get
taken off the list and others get put on. So it helps to
start off with this idea of a checklist for each of your
children. It can be simply a mental checklist. For those who
are more organized, they can write it down.

An example of a checklist for a 6 year old can be:

1. Parents
2. Food
3. Friends
4. Clothes
5. Sleep/Fatigue
6. Homework
7. Entertainment
8. Siblings & Family (relationships)

For each of these items you can ask yourself- is my child
happy and fulfilled in these areas? What areas does the
child need help in? It would be difficult for them to be
having fun playing if they have problems elsewhere.

In dealing with each of these items, here's an
example of dealing with a checklist item: Energy
Levels/Fatigue: Let's take a closer look at this.
Children naturally have routines during the day. Wake-up,
get dressed, breakfast, school, after-school activities,
suppertime, homework, evening snack, bedtime. Yet you cannot
expect children to have the same energy level in the
afternoon after a long day of school/play as they would have
in the morning when they are fresh from a full night of
sleep. Many experienced parents know that when children are
tired, especially little children, they just do not
function as well in being able to do activities, in
listening to their parents, or even at times to behave
normally (!!). So this is a good item for the checklist: How
tired is your child?

"I still find each day too short for all the
thoughts I want to think, all the walks I want to take, all
the books I want to read, and all the friends I want to
see."
John Burroughs

For parents, the same can apply for the time spent with
their children! Parents who want to get the most out of
being able to build relationships with their children should
consider (as difficult as it is) to schedule their day
around the times that children have high energy levels.

An example of a good time to be with the children is after
supper. Often children are well-fed, and the time spent
sitting at the dinner table allows them to recharge their
batteries. They are refreshed and well-fed and ready for
some evening activity.

The time that is well-spent with children is like depositing
a lot of value into a bank account of love and trust with
your child. And what could be more valuable than that?

"Life is half spent before we know what it
is."
George Herbert

About The Author

Joseph Browns, creator of http://home-educational-toys.com,
is a caring parent who wants to share his experiences and
expertise in how parents can take advantage of valuable
opportunities to spend quality time with children and aquire
those priceless memories of love and bonding. Many issues
are dealt with in the website
http://home-educational-toys.com, some of which are:
educational toys (primary topic), parent-child
relationships, environmental (interior) design, health,
communication skills, furniture, and child education.

brownsdesign2@rogers.com

____________________________________________________

What every parent needs to know.....
HOW TO GET CLOSE TO YOUR TEEN
STOP the arguing! STOP the door slamming!
STOP the misunderstandings!

Your teen will thank you for it!

This brand-new ebook is informative, straight to the point, no wasted space, no fillers, JUST the information you need to enjoy this special time in their life and yours. In a few short years, they could be on their own, and not as many chances to be close to them. Read this ebook and get a different approach to your teen. Get closer to them now while you can!
Order here even if it's 2am, you will have this valuable ebook in a few minutes.

Dinnertime Chatter

2005-06-18T07:20:00.000-07:00

by: Sue DeFiore

One of the themes I see on the various internet boards I
belong to is that children eat and run. First, whatever
happened to manners. We were not allowed to leave the table
without permission and unless it was an outright emergency
we had to stay until everyone was done eating. Also, we
used dinnertime to catch up on the day's activities.
When my dad wasn't there, my mom would ask my
sister, brother and I how our day was. Did everything go
well, any problems? WE COMMUNICATED.

When my dad was home, he told us about his week and how
things were in the city with our family and then we all got
a chance to catch him up as to what we were doing (school,
friends, after school activities). Even as we all got
older, we still had to be home for Sunday dinner. It was
mandatory. It was family time, my mom always tried to make
the meal extra special.

There was always give and take in my family. We all had a
voice and our parents always listened to us. They might not
have agreed with us, but they always listened to us.

So try to make dinnertime a special time where your children
can air their opinions and views, and really listen to
them. You might be surprised what you discover about your
children.

Copyright 2005, DeFiore Enterprises

About The Author

Sue DeFiore

Introducing Keep Kids Fit: A How To Guide For Setting Up And
Running Your Own Business In One Year Or Less! Solutions
for parents who want healthy children in body and mind! Our
motto, "Eat Healthy, Live Healthy, Help Keep Kids
Fit" Keep Kids Fit asks the question: Do You Want
To Help Foster A Healthy Lifestyle For Your Child! If you
answered yes, then visit our web blog at:
http://hbsblogs.typepad.com/keepkidsfit/ and visit our
website today at: http://www.keepkidsfit.com

suedefiore@sbcglobal.net

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

What every parent needs to know.....
HOW TO GET CLOSE TO YOUR TEEN
STOP the arguing! STOP the door slamming!
STOP the misunderstandings!
Your teen will thank you for it!

This brand-new ebook is informative, straight to the point, no wasted space, no fillers, JUST the information you need to enjoy this special time in their life and yours. In a few short years, they could be on their own, and not as many chances to be close to them. Read this ebook and get a different approach to your teen. Get closer to them now while you can!

Order here even if it's 2am, you will have this valuable ebook in a few minutes.

Relate With Your Teen and Gain Their Trust

2005-06-15T14:37:00.000-07:00

Relate With Your Teen and Gain Their Trust

by: Tammy Pinarbasi

We were all teens at one time for some many years ago even
if we don't like to admit it. Many of us can look back and
say our teen years were good, but with many ups and downs as
we approached adulthood. Some of us maybe were lucky enough
to have parents we could talk to about anything with ease.
Today's teens deal with many of the same issues, but also
deal with some very difficult issues that are more prevalent
in today's youth.

Your teen will need guidance and most likely seek advice. As
parents we need to help insure that our teens will come to
us with most of these issues. We need to create an
atmosphere that will encourage our teens to turn to us. It
can be quite a task to get your teen to open up and I found
with my teenage boys they were a little reluctant to
discuss personal issues. It's quite normal for your teen to
seem more distant as they work their way to adulthood. Many
times they will seek advice from their peers, but don't
worry, this is normal for kids this age.

Peers play a big part in the teenage years and strong
healthy relationships with their peers is important to them.
More importantly though, I believe they need to be able to
relate and confide in their parents as much as possible.
It's likely this will not happen without some encouragement
from the parents. Making ourselves available, showing we
understand, and that they can talk openly with us without
judgment plays a key factor in getting them to open up and
feel comfortable doing so.

Some issues today's teens face may be difficult or
uncomfortable to discuss, but looking the other way will not
help. If they can't come to you they will seek advice or
help elsewhere. Personally, I would much rather have my teen
come to me regardless of the topic, rather than turn to
another source who does not love and care for them the way I
do. We as parents don't want our teens turning to someone
who may not have their best interests in mind.

The guidance and advice they receive during these wonderful,
but yet difficult years can impact the choices they make in
the future, therefore, the present time is crucial. While
some decisions they may have to make will seem
insignificant, some could affect the rest of their lives.
Whether the importance is big or small they need to know
they can turn to their parents for everything.

I have found with my teens, by offering stories or
comparisons to when I was their age, is an effective way to
get the conversation started. In a relaxed one on one
situation, casually bringing things up opened the door to
allow my boys to talk about a similar situation they may
have experienced. Sometimes, they tend to refer to a friend
that was going through something similar, which very well
could be the case, but at the same time, I take it as a
hint. If a close peer is going through it, most likely, they
are too or will be.

By letting teens know through comparison, that when you were
a teen, you too had similar issues and was once their age,
will encourage them to open up. Will everything they want
to talk about be a major dilemma? The answer is No. Will
they suddenly spill their guts and divulge everything to you
from this point on? Not likely because it takes time to
establish that kind of trust. Yes, they have been your kids
for many years and they trust you, but this is Trust taken
to a whole new level.

The idea is to keep the lines of communication open, show
them you care, that you understand and you are there for
them. Build a strong level of trust with your teen and
hopefully when the big issues come up, you may be the first
to know.

About The Author

This article was written by Tammy Pinarbasi, Owner of the
Parent Super Site, http://www.parentsupersite.com. You are
welcome to reprint this article or use it on your website,
however, a link back to this site is appreciated....

admin@parentsupersite.com

Here is a downloadable e-book that may help
What every parent needs to know.....
"HOW TO GET CLOSE TO YOUR TEEN"
by Sheila McCormick

STOP the arguing! STOP the door slamming!
STOP the misunderstandings!

Your teen will thank you for it!
You can download here, even if it is 2am and it will only take a
few minutes

The Real Facts About Your Child's IQ

2005-06-10T20:54:00.000-07:00

Ever wondered about your child's IQ, find out a few facts.

The Real Facts About Your Child's IQ
by: Alannah Moore

Parents may be surprised to discover the following facts
about IQ and IQ testing.

1. IQ stands for Intelligence Quotient. But it is debatable
whether IQ tests really measure intelligence (or whatever
it is we mean by "intelligence" - psychologists have been
divided for years).

IQ tests do not take into account aspects such as
creativity, artistic or musical talent - a child can most
certainly be "gifted" without having a high IQ.

Nor do IQ tests take into account qualities such as
leadership which will have a huge impact on the child's
life. They cannot be taken as any kind of indicator of
success in future life.

It is dubious as to whether IQ scores have any real value of
their own outside the educational system.

2. However unimportant IQ is in itself, your child's
IQ score will have a serious impact on his or her
schooling. It may well determine which class he or she is
put in and can therefore have far-reaching effects.

It is a fact that children achieve better academic results
when in a class with more able pupils. It is therefore in
your child's interest that he or she gets a place in the
highest class possible for his or her abilities.

3. IQ test results can be very unreliable. Research has
shown that 50% of children will achieve a score varying by 5
points in either direction when retested, some as much as
20 points!

The most unreliable tests are group tests (rather as
individual tests) which are usually the kinds of IQ test
used in schools. The teachers responsible for carrying out
the tests are often not trained adequately, which may make
the results even more unreliable.

4. The IQ of an individual is not innate or fixed.

Many parents assume that the IQ score is something innate to
their child, that he or she will have to live with it for
the rest of their lives. This is not the case. The IQ can
change significantly - either decrease or increase - due
largely to environmental factors. It is not fixed at any
time.

5. Statistics show that the IQ of children is related to
their environment. Parents can raise their child's IQ
by providing the optimum environment and stimulating the
child in the right way. It is proven that IQ scores can be
significantly raised by practising IQ tests, as explained in
detail in "How to Raise Your Child's IQ" (
http://www.raise-your-childs-iq.com/ ).

6. It is dubious as to whether IQ tests actually test any
kind of innate intelligence. You can see this when you
examine an IQ test. Much emphasis is placed on aspects which
are in fact "learnt" rather than innate - in particular, a
heavy emphasis on verbal expression (vocabulary and
proverbs) which is commonly taken as a useful intelligence
indicator, however depends greatly on the kind of
environment in which the child has been raised, and what
kind of training he or she has received.

Given that the IQ is not innate or fixed, and that such an
importance is attached to IQ scores in the educational
system, it is the responsibility of the parents to assist
their children as much as they can in achieving as high a
score as he or she is able to reach. The child will most
certainly benefit.

About The Author

Alannah Moore

Visit http://www.raise-your-childs-iq.com/ to see how you
can help your child by improving his or her iq score.

This article may be freely reproduced in your ezine or on
your website, providing you retain the resource box and do
not alter anything within the article. If you publish the
article on your website please ensure the URLs are live.

info@raise-your-childs-iq.com