My tip this week is
Emphasize and encourage family relationships >>Listen

We’re getting ready to enter another holiday season when you are likely to make plans to see family members from near and far. Teenagers are famous for complaining about family gatherings. Why? One reason is it takes them out of their friend-focused routine, and who really needs to hear Aunt Sarah say one more time “My how you’ve grown!”

But I encourage you not to give in….don’t let your teen miss your family gatherings. These are special, important, and they give your teen roots and connections that are irreplaceable. I’ve seen even the crabbiest 15 year old boy More on Encourage Family Relationships - 2 Min. Tip 33

Hi – Sue Blaney here with your Parenting Tip from Parenting Teens Info.com

My tip this week is
Slow Down and Reflect >>Listen

When was the last time you got off the daily treadmill and took a deep breath? In our busy and hectic life we find it hard to take any time at all to relax, reflect and restore our balance. Not only is this unhealthy for us adults, but it keeps you from teaching your teen a very important life lesson.

Every one of us, young and old, is bombarded with sensory stimulation coming at us from way too many places. More on Slow Down and Reflect - 2 Min Tip #32

Hi – Sue Blaney here with your Parenting Tip from Parenting Teens Info.com

My tip this week is
If you have a struggling student, make an action plan >>Listen

It’s late October, and interim reports are out. A woman told me yesterday her 8th grade daughter has 5 D’s right now. Ouch.

Kids don’t want to fail, you need to know that. This child cannot be feeling good right now. What’s a parent to do when a teenager receives an interim report of a bad grade?  You have to make a plan. More on Struggling Student? Make an Action Plan - 2 Min Tip #31

My tip this week is to
Make sure your teen can complete this sentence: “My parents would kill me if…” >>Listen

As a teenager growing up, I’ll bet you could finish that sentence. “My parents would kill me if…”   What were some of your answers? “If I got caught shoplifting?”  “If I didn’t call when I was late?”  “If I got caught drinking?”  Your teenager needs to know where you absolutely put your stake in the ground, and these rules should be emblazoned in your teen’s brain. Rules this important should be rules around safety. (I’d prefer not to hear a kid say “My parents would kill me if I got a C.” Performance issues would best fall into a different, less urgent, category.)

When you have a few key rules around safety More on "My Parents Would Kill Me If…" 2 Min. Tip #30

Hi - Sue Blaney here with your Parenting Tip from Parenting Teens Info.com

My tip this week is to
Be creative with after-school coverage >>Listen

Do your teenagers come home after school to an empty house? After school day care options are scarce for teenagers in many communities, and parents have to go it alone. This presents obvious challenges for parents in the workplace, and probably all busy parents.  But I had a conversation with one mom recently that left me concerned. As a working single-parent who has no community alternatives available to her, her daughter is one of millions of latch-key kids. For many families, this works out fine. But this middle-school age girl was leaving her house regularly, and her mom did not know where she was going. There are a few disturbing statistics that you should be aware of: More on Be Creative with After-School Care - 2 Min Tip #29

Hi – Sue Blaney here with your Parenting Tip from Parenting Teens Info.com

My tip this week is
Teach your teen to be self-sufficient >>Listen

Does your teenager rely on you to do everyday things for him like meal planning, cooking, laundry, changing sheets etc.? You may feel this is perfectly appropriate given your teen’s age and the activities and expectations on him. But it’s a good idea to begin to notice his degree of self-sufficiency and to help him build up those skills.

As your teen becomes more self-sufficient More on Teach your Teen to be Self-Sufficient - 2 Min Tip #28

Hi – Sue Blaney here with your Parenting Tip from Parenting Teens Info.com

My tip this week is:
It is easier to giveth than to taketh away >>Listen

How many of you have given your teenager a privilege, only to see it abused and wish you had never given it in the first place? Probably 100% of you; so you’re in good company - I think we've all been in this boat. It is so easy to be convinced by a persuasive or demanding teenager that giving in is the right thing to do. But, you also know how difficult it is to take away a privilege once it’s been given.

How about another strategy? More on It is Easier to Giveth than to Taketh-Away: 2 Min Tip 27

My tip this week is to

Have family dinners as often as you can! >>Listen

Is your family running around like crazy? Most are, it seems. September 22 was Family Day, the day set aside to have dinner with your family. Were you able to have dinner with your family? Did you even know about Family Day?

Having dinner with your family is one of the most fundamental ways you engage More on Have family dinners…2 Minute Tip #26

My tip this week is to
Build on your teens’ strengths, rather than focus on his weaknesses >>Listen

No kid likes to be criticized. Frankly, I don’t know too many adults who enjoy it either. However, as parents, we know we need to redirect our kids, to teach them and correct them and guide them. Trouble is, we’re often so busy we fail to take the time to gently redirect, or teach or correct them…there is a technique to doing this that makes this medicine go down a whole lot easier.

Have you heard of the sandwich method of communication? It works like this: More on Build on Your Teen's Strengths…Two Minute Tip #25

Hi – Sue Blaney here with your Parenting Tip from Parenting Teens Info.com

My tip this week is a
Listening Guideline…Here’s the 70% Solution >>Listen

I have a helpful guideline for you when it comes to listening and finding areas of compromise with your teenager. I call it the 70% solution. It says: “If you and your teen’s effort toward a common goal equals 100%, you need to be prepared to make 70% of the effort.”

The 70% solution provides a concrete guideline that emphasizes More on A Helpful Listening Guideline - 2 Minute Tip #24