EmpoweringParents.com

Full disclosure: I was a rebellious teenager. I broke curfew frequently, yelled at my poor mom, and was generally surly and rude. (And oh, how I wish I could take it all back! I’ve apologized to my mom many times, but I would seriously love a time machine so I could go back and do my teen years all over again!) I was so sure, back then, that I was in control and knew what I was doing.

Boy, was I wrong.

Read more »

Does raising an adolescent ever make you feel like you’re being examined under a microscope?

I find I am in the process of analyzing my own values and behavior all over again, because my pre-teen daughter questions what I do — and always lets me know when I’ve slipped up! My truth-seeking eleven-year-old, who can’t see the pile of clothes on her bedroom floor, will notice even the slightest deviation within Mom’s mood or behavior. Lately her finger seems to have constant tension on the trigger that, when pulled, will fire my own truths at me and knock me to my knees.

Read more »

A recent CNN report states that 2,000+ sex offenders from North Carolina are registered users on the popular social networking site MySpace.com.  MySpace was ordered to turn over the names to officials and Facebook was also asked to do the same.

For those of you who aren’t familiar with MySpace or Facebook, here’s the skinny. Both are Internet sites where users can post information and pictures about themselves and allow other people on the site to view those pictures and read the information if they accept them as their “friend”.  Some users have more than 500 friends, and it is a common to compete to have the most.

Read more »

In Cape Cod this week, another group of middle schoolers was found “sexting” photos of a 13 year old female classmate to each other. (Watch the newsclip here.) If you haven’t heard, “sexting” is the act of sending nude photos of yourself or others via your cell phone. A recent study conducted in December suggested that I out of every 5 teens in America has tried sexting, either via cell phone or while online.

Read more »

A little while ago, I blogged about starting to address my 13-year-old son’s offensive language. The changes started slowly, but he showed some improvement with consistent feedback. Whenever he slipped, he lost a specific video game or went to bed earlier. But the issue still hangs on. We both need more practice.

Read more »

Is TV harmless, or does it encourage our kids to engage in risky behavior?

A new study out this month says that young people who frequently watch shows that depict sexual situations or conversations are twice as likely to get pregnant — or get someone else pregnant. (This is in comparison to  to kids who watch few or none of these types of programs.) In the study by the non-partisan Rand Corp., the pregnancy link was there even after accounting for factors such as delinquent behavior, those who wanted to get pregnant, and comparing kids who live in single-parent households to those with two parents present.

Read more »

Have you ever noticed how kids are so literal? It seems that at times you must be very literal when communicating with them in order to have a clear understanding of what is expected.

Read more »

How do you feel about your teen’s texting habit?

My cousin’s son recently told me that his girlfriend broke up with him by text. He was devastated, but the two of them still haven’t talked face-to-face since he got the message two weeks ago. It makes me wonder, what are teens losing out on? I think hard conversations can teach us how to be empathetic, sensitive and diplomatic — you actually see what effect your words are having on the other person. To me, a text message is like shooting a dart out into the atmosphere, and never having to feel its sting.

Read more »