Adolescence

Signs Your Teenager is Pregnant

February 4, 2011 By admin

There are few things as traumatic to a family as an unwanted teenage pregnancy. While almost no teenage daughter wishes this upon herself or the ramifications of this on her family, many fail to connect the dots and do not even realize they are pregnant. In fact, it very well may be that the parent notices these signs earlier that the child.

If you should suspect in any way that your teenage daughter is sexually active, there are several warning signs to look out for. First and foremost, the most telling sign is the lack of or a very light menstrual cycle.While this would be a telling sign to both teenage daughter and parents, this symptom is more than likely difficult to recognize due to the fact most teenage girls would not voluntarily give up this information. However, there are other signs that may be more telling and more noticeable to an adult than a child. At times, the first trimester feels like a long bout of illness, so if your teenage daughter experiences frequent sickness spells; especially something that looks like stomach flu, then there may be signs to worry. Another sign is changes in the body such as the child’s breasts having significantly grown in size or if they are gaining weight specifically in the middle region. Another sign is if they are having erratic cravings and eating habits. Another physical sign of pregnancy is an abnormal amount of fatigue or exhaustion that can’t be attributed to anything specific.

While all these are signs of pregnancy it is wise to remember that nothing is for certain until the results of a pregnancy test is positive. A child may not be pregnant, may not know they are pregnant or they may be trying to hit it. Regardless, it is wise for parents to try to engage the teenager into conversation calmly and rationally, showing empathy and love so that the situation can be dealt with in the best way possible.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Human sexual activity, Pregnancy

Involve Your Teen in Your Budget Plan

January 30, 2011 By admin

Money is tight for many families these days. Parents are looking for ways to tighten their budget so they can afford to pay the household bills and put groceries on the table. Some parents work multiple jobs in order to take care of their kids, and make sure they have everything they need. Parents can do more for their older children, particularly teenagers, by making them a part of their budget plans.

By including their teens in their budget plan, parents can help them learn how to budget money at an early age. Including them will also make their teens feel like a part of the household by helping to contribute to what goes into the budget each week or month, and will help them learn responsibility. Parents can use several tools for planning their budgets, and involving their teens in it.

When the time comes to plan your budget, call your teens in for a family meeting. Explain to them your financial situation, and that by planning a family budget, you’ll be able to pay all of your bills, put food on the table for everyone, plan for emergencies, and hopefully put some money into savings. Let them see exactly what amount needs to go towards all of the household bills every month, so they’ll understand why the need for a budget and financial planning is necessary. Encourage your teens to come up with some ways that you can save some money, such as foregoing some of their usually favorite grocery items, getting a part-time job to help expenses, and opening up their own savings account with their part-time job income or allowance.

You’ll also want to discuss emergency funds. One idea you can all discuss is the possibility of a payday loan from companies such as GreatPlainsLending. Explain to your teens what a payday loan is, and how it works.

By involving your teen in budget planning, they’ll learn responsibility.

Filed Under: Personal Finance Tagged With: Adolescence, Budget, Parent, Part-time

What Are Some of the Dangers Caused By Teen Drinking?

January 12, 2011 By admin

Despite all the attempts by government and educational authorities teen drinking is on the rise. If you suspect that your teenager or child is binge drinking you will need to take into consideration some things before you address the issue with them.

What are some of the signs that you should look for? They may tell lies to hide where they really have been. You may hear excuses for things that they have done. They will stay of past their curfew. Often they will isolate themselves in their room when they are at home. When you ask them how much they have had to drink they will get upset. Their mood swings are odd and you may find alcohol hidden in their room. When they come home from a night out you will smell alcohol on them. Some teenagers will take money from their parents wallet. You may even find that they are reluctant to let you meet a new friend they have made.

You will want to watch for signs as early as you can. Education on alcohol at the age of 10 years old is necessary. It is very sad but that is when alot of kids start drinking with their friends. In some countries this is common for a child to be allowed to drink within their home.

For someone that has drank a large amount of alcohol in a short time alcohol poisoning can be gotten. This can be fatal to a teenager or anyone else that has drank excessively. The breathing and heart rate of the drinker can slow down to a level that is dangerous. It can also cause the liver or kidneys to fail to the point of becoming fatal to the person.

A teenager should be educating in what the effects could be of drinking excessively.If you try to stop them totally it may backfire on you. You will want to keep them busy with other activities.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence

Helping Your Child Learn to Drive: Getting the Mindset Right

December 27, 2010 By admin

The right mindset goes a long way when you are helping your teenager learn to drive. This can be a stressful experience for both parent and child alike, going in to it prepared and ready for anything will help you both to stay calm during the learning process. When you’re able to relax and enjoy the ride, it can be a great experience for you both.

Relax
Tensing up in the passenger seat will only make your child nervous or upset. Have a relaxed attitude and remember, your child is ready for this. Show them that you have confidence in their abilities and you will often be pleasantly surprised. Show them you are afraid to get in the car with them, and you may have a fight on your hands. Even jokes about fear can be interpreted badly by your teenager when he or she may already be full of nerves.

Eliminate Distractions
Turn off the radio while you’re learning. While your driver should have their phone away, it is also important for you as the parent and teacher to eliminate distractions. Put down the phone and put away the to-do list, this should be time to focus entirely on your teenager and on helping them become the best driver possible. Your teenager will be more confident when they know you are watching and ready to help.

Stay Calm
Even as you need to correct your new driver’s mistakes and remind them of things they forget, it is important to be respectful and speak calmly. Never laugh at a question or act as though it is something that everyone should know. For many young drivers, everything is new and everything is a question. Encourage their eagerness to learn and remember, it’s okay if the windshield wipers come on with the turn signal the first few times, your teenager has a lot of practice hours to learn and get it all right.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Child, Learning

Talking to your Child about College

December 17, 2010 By admin

As your teenager prepares to leave home and enter college, it can be tough to find the time and the right words to talk to him or her about the next four years. Talking to your son or daughter about college and what they are expecting and anticipating is a great way to make sure they are feeling okay as you drop them off that first day.

Ask Questions
Choose a time when you are both relaxed and at home to start a conversation, ask some open-ended questions like “what are you looking forward to most about college?” and “what kinds of clubs and activities do you plan to get involved with next year?” can help open up the conversation on a positive note.

Ask the Harder Questions Too
Don’t be afraid to ask your teenager if there are things they are anxious about going off to college, what things do they expect to miss about being at home? On a less serious note, are they ready to always do their own laundry? These questions can be a time to laugh, but also a time to give teenagers some real support as they prepare for a big transition in their lives. Let them know that you’re always there to answer questions and help them from a distance.

Share Stories
This is a great time to talk about your own transition from living at home to college or living on your own. What surprised you the most about life after high school and what could you have done differently? Don’t be afraid to share your mistakes along with your successes. This will encourage your teenager to continue to share his or her stories with you after leaving home. Open communication has to start somewhere and parents can do a lot to make it happen.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, College, Home

The First Trip Home: A Parent’s Guide

December 11, 2010 By admin

A teenager’s first visit home from college can be a challenge for every member of the family. Whether it is a weekend or winter vacation, coming home is challenging for students and can drastically change the dynamics of the household.

Give Space
Allow your college student plenty of space to get settled in back at home. Coming home to the childhood bedroom and house can be a big change and many students feel stressed or uneasy about it. Every student will need to adjust in their own way and it is important to allow plenty of time and space for them to get adjusted before rushing to catch up on everything that has happened since they left home.

Give Them A Space
As tempting as it can be for parents to re-purpose the room, try to include your child if plans include a room revamp. Let them have some say in what stays and how you go about it. They will always want to have a place in the home and coming home to a room-turned-gym can be startling and upsetting to your student.

Revisit Old Spots
Go out to dinner as a family to a favorite restaurant from when your student lived at home. This can be a fun way to revisit their childhood without a lot of fuss. If there’s something new in town, invite them along for a drive to check out the new shopping mall or movie theater that’s gone in since they left. Taking a drive can be a good time to chat about how things are going at school.

Make New Traditions
Resist the urge to fall completely into old patterns and be mindful that nothing will seem exactly the same for either of you. Your teenager has been living at school and making a life separate from the family, respect that new role and you will find that your college student will look forward to future visits home.

Filed Under: Trends Tagged With: Adolescence, Shopping mall, Student

How to Tell When Your Teenager is Lying

December 9, 2010 By admin

Identifying some of the most common body language cues can help you to tell when your teenager may be lying to you. There’s no such thing as a perfect liar, and some easy clues can help you to learn when to ask a few more questions to take some time to really observe and find out what is going on in your teenager’s world. While none of these indicators are fool proof on their own, they can be important in helping you to navigate conversations with your teenagers and with others in your life.

Vocal Cues
It’s been shown that peoples’ voices tend to rise in pitch when they are not telling the truth. They may speak faster than usual or take too many pauses. You know what is normal pitch and speed for your teenager, if something seems different, it’s worth spending a little more time on the conversation to see if something else is going on.

Nervous Signs
People who are lying often bring their hands up to their mouth or their face. This is a nervous habit that may reveal itself more when someone isn’t telling the truth. Watch for other signs of nerves, such as a teenage girl playing with her hair as she speaks or slouching more than usual. These movements both show a discomfort with the conversation that may be evidence of something more. Any body language that closes the speaker off from the listener–standing hunched or shifting weight constantly back and forth–can reveal fear of being caught.

Eye Contact
This is perhaps the oldest and widest known way to identify when someone is lying. People who are telling the truth have no trouble making eye contact, while people who are lying may avoid it or look down or around the room as they speak. Seek to make eye contact a part of regular conversations with your teenager and it will be easier to read their non-verbal cues.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Body language, Eye contact

Relating to Your Teenagers’ Friends

December 6, 2010 By admin

Meeting your teenagers’ friends can be a challenge for parents. It’s tempting to judge their personal style, habits, and speech as a reflection of your own child, but it’s important to hold your judgments at first. Being kind to your teenagers’ friends will help your relationship and prevent unnecessary conflicts from bubbling up at home.

Be Welcoming
When your teenager brings friends into your home, you want to encourage this by making it a welcoming place for them. Offer them food or drink the way you’d greet any guests, introduce yourself, and then make yourself scarce and give them space to relax and the privacy that all teenagers crave. Making your home a safe place for them to hang out will help encourage your teenager to include you and the home in future plans, knowing that their friends are welcome too.

Resist Making Judgments
When one of your teenager’s friends dresses differently or has traits that strike you as less than desirable, it’s easy to make judgments about your own teenager as well. Resist this to avoid conflicts. Just because a friend has a piercing doesn’t mean your teenager is planning to get one tomorrow, nor does it make him or her any less of a good person. Take time to ask questions and find out what your teenager’s friends are really like before you define them by stereotypes. Your teenager will notice and appreciate your openness.

Talk If You Have Concerns
If you are concerned about one of your teenager’s friends or believe they may be in danger or abusing substances, talk to your teenager about in privately first. They may be able to give you insights into what you saw. Approaching the subject calmly will help your teenager to give you the facts and encourage them to talk with you about anything that is going on in their circle of friends.

Filed Under: Social Netowrking Tagged With: Adolescence, Parent, Television, United States

Encouraging Your Teenager to Eat Well

December 4, 2010 By admin

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Eating well can be a challenge to many teenagers, both while they are living at home and in the years after they have moved out and into a dorm or their own apartment. Parents can play an active role in encouraging teenagers to take care of themselves and maintain a healthy diet and attitude towards food.

In the Home
As your teenager grows up, it is important to keep a variety of healthy options around the home. Teenagers will often need a little guidance to choose healthy snacks and stick to a diet plan, but parents can begin by always having good options around. Model healthy attitudes about food and your teenager will also be more likely to pick up these traits. Resist criticizing food choices and instead, give gentle nudges toward healthy options. Criticism will only lead to resentment between you and your child.

Building Skills
Many teenagers leave home without knowing how to cook for themselves. Encouraging teens from an early age to help out in the kitchen and giving them additional responsibilities at mealtime over the years can help prepare them to live on their own. In a few short years, your teenager will need to prepare meals alone. Feeling comfortable in the kitchen is the first step towards healthy eating and away from ordering another pizza.

In the Dorm
Once your teenager has left home for college, encouraging healthy eating habits can be much more difficult. Check in often concerning cafeteria food, ask questions from the point of view of finding out how the food is and whether they are finding enough to eat. If you’re concerned, pack up a care package of healthy snack options for the dorm. This reads as a kind gesture, but also a way to be sure they always have healthy options on hand.

Filed Under: Pressures & Privileges Tagged With: Adolescence, Dieting, Health, Human nutrition