Here are a few tips on how to make the best of what can be a stressful and confusing time in your teenager's life.

Be Open and Understanding - Realize that your teen may be a stressed during the first few weeks of their freshman year. There are many things that can contribute to your teen's moodiness or withdrawn state. They are experiencing numerous changes in their life; all at the same time. Just like when you are pushed to your max with stress, your teen may experience headaches, stomachaches, or sleepiness. They need time and space to figure it all out in their own mind. Be patient and give them the time they need to sort things out for themselves.

Be Available and Reassuring - They may be young adults with a need to start making more decisions on their own and taking on more responsibility, but that doesn't mean that they are adults with minds that can handle all the stress and pressure of taking on those tasks. Reassure them that you are there when they need you and also how to "back off" when necessary so they can figure things out for themselves.

Be Supportive and Loving - Your teenager is no longer the 'big dog', but instead a 'newbie'. Teenagers need to know that Mom and/or Dad support their decisions. They may have a difficult time fitting in; therefore, the need to try new things is necessary and helps them to figure out who they are. As long as the activity is not detrimental to them or anyone else, let them try a new sport, club, or other extracurricular hobby.

Set Routines and Limits - Yes, they may be growing up, but they aren't adults yet. Teenagers need routines and limits. It will help to make the transition to high school easier on both of you if make limits together before the first week of school. Sit down and tell your child what your expectations are and really listen to their expectations of you as well. Settle on certain guidelines and routines that make both of you happy with the end result. This not only puts your mind at ease, but will also show your teen that you acknowledge that they are capable of making sound decisions.

Parenting Teenagers can be a trying time and high school can seem overwhelming for them. Share in the good times and be there to lean on for the bad. Before you know it, you'll be catching that cap and tassel at your teen's graduation.

Visit Parenting My Teen For more Free info on parenting your teens!

Do you know what your teen plans to do? Has your teen obtained a summer job, or will he or she spend the entire time at home unsupervised. Do you know where your teen will be?

These are questions most parents face during the summertime. Perhaps both you and your husband work full time, or work at home. Whatever the case may be, your teen has a great deal of free time, which can either be utilized to increase their emotional and educational growth, or to engage in activities which may be the catalyst for potential trouble.

Let's face it, for some teens the first day of summer is looked upon as a license to run wild with no cares in the world except their own. While every teen needs a few weeks to unwind, if there has been no advanced planning on what your teen can be doing during summertime, the door is open for them to waste time watching TV or playing video games or hooking up with friends and just hanging out at the beach. This is a great concern for parents who want their teens to increase their physical activity and mental prowess during the summer months in a safe environment.

What can parents do to ensure they are not only aware of where their teen will be, but what they will be doing?

If you are concerned about your teen this summer, it's time to have a serious conversation wherein you set up a series of rules. Here are some tips which may help in this regard:

Establish a curfew for your teen, both day and night.

Invite your teen's friends over for a Saturday barbeque. This will allow you to get to know who your teen hangs out with.

Set up a routine of chores your teen can help with at home, and for which he or she can earn extra money.

Take your teen to the library and choose a number of books to read over the summer. Since this is a requirement of most public schools, encouraging your teen to expand his or knowledge will help them advance in school as well.

Summertime for teens can either be a safe, fun-filled experience, or it can be a time where worry is your constant enemy. Open communication with your teen is not only important, but is paramount in continuing parental control over your teen in every facet of their growth. While your teen may not like it now, they will thank you later.

For more information on planning a great summer for your teen visit School's Out! Plan For the Perfect Teen Summer.

One of the most precious gifts we can give our teens is a good ear. Be sure to allow your teenager to express his/her creative thinking and independence. Always listen to your teenager, respect their ideas, dreams and aspirations. Show them unconditional love even when they have ideas that differ from your own. Without that, your teen will not be as open with you or others and won't be willing to share as much of their personal lives and feelings.

For example, if they have career goals, you aren't supportive of, really try to listen to their reasoning and be open to new ideas. Our children don't always need to follow in our footsteps to be happy and successful.

Take Care and hug those teens!

Aurelia Williams

P.S. Need some tips on how to listen so your teen will talk? Grab them here

Too many times parents of strong willed teens feel alone.

I wanted to share this great online resource with you called My Out of Control Teen! Don't let the title fool you. Your teen doesn't need to be totally out of control for you to reap the benefits of this great program because it is great for any parent of strong-willed children.

This program is an online parent support (OPS) system that includes the following:

* My Out-Of-Control Teen eBook (which contains 150 proven techniques to use with your strong-willed teen)
* Full access to Bonus eBooks Site
* Live audio recordings you can listen to online
* Power Point Presentations and Videos you can view online
* Full access to OPS Website

Best of all, it is at a great low price and comes with a no hassle money-back guarantee.

Visit them Soon - you will be happy that you did!

Aurelia

As you know, teens never seem to lack motivation to do what they want to do -- talk on the phone, meet up with friends, go to the movies, etc. But, when it comes down to getting them to do the things that we want them to do and the things that the need to do, that seems to be a different story.

Here are some tips that we as parents can use to help motivate our teens to become more organized.

Build your teens confidence by identifying the ways in which he or she is already organized. Everyone, including your teen, shows signs of being organized with some things. Teens love to be acknowledged for a job well done so if your child does a great job organizing his or her school work or his or her clothes, try to encourage them to apply those same organizational skills to the other areas in their life that can use some organizational help.

Teach them & Have fun. Perhaps your teen really doesn't know where to begin! Socks here and there, books under the bed, clothes stuffed behind the hamper. All of this can seem like a battle for them that is useless to fight. Why not set up a date with your child to organize his/her space together. Turn on the radio (to their favorite station of course) and together work to de-clutter the space. Keep in mind that your organizational style my not work for them so ask them questions as you go along and try to help them figure out a way to organize things so that it is easy to keep up. Another fun way to get them motivated is to provide fun, funky and cool storage bins to use for those small items that seem to just collect in the corners of their rooms.

Set Clear Rules and Let them set the schedule: Be sure that you set clear rules as to what is allowable daily clutter and what isn't. Teens need clear-cut rules to follow. Sit down with you teen and simply ask them "What day can you carve out at least 1 hr to do a full room cleaning?" and let your teen set a day (either weekly or biweekly). What this does is let them know you value their time and schedule and it makes them accountable.

Finally, be sure you reward and commend your teens organizing successes with either a small token of additional freedom or kind words. Keep in mind that being organized is all about being responsible. For a teenager, gaining trust and freedom from parents is one of the biggest motivations of all.

Want more tips on parenting your teenager? Visit Parenting My Teen

High School is a lot different today then it was when we attended. With overcrowding becoming a major issue, as well as class size, high school schedules may require students to attend in a choice of morning or afternoon sessions. In some cases, evening sessions may be called for.

Kids who enter high school have a great deal of adjusting to do, but when you add a new environment on top of mixed schedules, different classes and teachers, it can be quite intimidating.

High school is the last stop before college. It is perhaps the most important link in the chain of educational achievement. Therefore, high school students have to be prepared for any eventuality. Because this is a serious time toward the road to educational success, students in high school need to make any adjustment without stress.

One of the saving graces in attending high school for most students is that usually those they graduated with from middle school will also be attending the same high school. This gives each student the ability to go to high school with someone they already know, can work together in the beginning to make the transition easier, and will view each other as a back up in case they need help in coping with schedule changes, curriculum, and new teachers.

For most students, however, the change is welcomed. They feel more like adults and enter high school with confidence and the eagerness to learn new subjects. Depending upon the state, high schools can be either pleasant and rewarding experiences or cause problems for new students.

The best way to avoid any problems adjusting to high school is by taking advantage of the eighth grade guidance counselors in middle schools who prepare and work with students on a daily basis by giving them information on their progress, advice on what high schools to select, discussing the field of endeavor they prefer, and what they need to know about the high school.

Not every child is accepted into their first choice of high schools. Therefore, having the guidance counselor give an honest assessment as to where he or she thinks the student will be accepted, can radically reduce the disappointment later on.


School Anxiety - Resources to help cope with your child's school anxiety.

Many parents can describe their teens behavior as they would describe Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde.

On minute your teen may be kind and loving to family members, the next, critical and hurtful. One day your teen may seem very calm and thoughtful, the next ranting and raving because someone drank the last of the milk.

Most teens have mood swings on and off throughout their teen years. Here is very helpful article that can help you help your teen control the mood swings.

P.S. Visit My Out Of Control Teen to learn more about how you can help a teen that shows signs of trouble.

Today, more than ever, teens are faced with peer pressure, low self-esteem, and other life experiences which can impact their emotional well-being. Does your teen suffer from depression?

It can be tricky to pin-point teen depression symptoms but here are some of the signs to look for.

Does your teen have a tendency to sleep late on school days? Do you have trouble getting them out of bed to go to school? Are they not eating properly? Are they spending a great deal of time in their rooms with the music blasting? Does your teen seem listless and moody? Has your teen become isolated from friends and family members? If the answer to any of these questions is yes, you may have a teen who is suffering from depression.

Most teenagers become moody; it's a fact of life. But when the moodiness turns to depression, it is more serious and requires intervention. Talk to your child. Try to determine the cause. If your child is not yet ready to discuss the problem, let him or her know you are always there for them; that they can rely on you to listen without passing judgment. Sometimes, the only way a teen can express their emotions is through anger. Be aware of this, and try to take the edge off by using comforting and safe words. Above all, don't lecture the teen or issue an ultimatum. Don't change the subject; their pain is real - acknowledge it.

One of the issues teens face is not living up to your standards.

Assure them they are loved despite everything. Tell them there is nothing in this world that could change the way you feel about them. Allow them the room to open up to you; then when they do, ensure it is safe for them to say anything, reveal anything. Do not discuss how you feel. This will just alienate the teen. It isn't about you; it is about what your teen is going through.

When all else fails, and you are concerned about your
teen might take his depression a step further, a visit to a therapist or psychologist is necessary. It can be a scary time for you, but remember this depression is not about you. Don't lay a guilt trip on your teen by saying, "What did I do wrong!" Be supportive, compassionate, understanding; most of all listen. Really listen.

Teen Depression - Great information on teen depression, counseling and antidepressants.

Here are a few tips to help you keep the fear at bay when your teenager starts dating.

Age: More than a Number
Just because it seems like everyone other parent on the planet is letting their teen date, doesn't mean you have to. Especially if your teen isn't ready. Keep an eye out for signs that your teen is really ready to date. Dating shouldn't be based on age alone. Take into consideration maturity and not just physical maturity. Emotional and mental maturities are more important when your teen starts dating.

Open Communication
Keep the lines of communication open. Talk to your teen and be honest about your feelings. Listen to their feelings as well. You might be surprised to find that they are just as scared as you are. Also, don't immediately go off the deep end the first time you hear the phrase "Check her out!" or "He's hot!" Be there for your teen when they experience the good and the bad of their dating experiences.

Groups Dates
If you are uncomfortable letting your teen go on a one on one date, try letting them go with a group the first few of times. Even if the group is split up in pairs, it still allows your teen to feel like he/she fits in, but you'll have the safety of knowing that it's not just your teen against one other if something were to go wrong. Public places, such as bowling alleys or miniature golf courses are a great option for group dates.

Respect all Around
Teach your teen to respect the opposite sex long before they begin dating. Remember, they can't respect someone else before they respect themselves.

Rules
Set rules before your teen begins dating and stick with them. The days of courting and getting permission may be gone, but that doesn't mean you don't have to know who your teen is with, where they are going, how they are getting there, and when they'll be home. Set a curfew that you feel comfortable with and keep in mind any laws in your area when doing so. Just because your town's curfew may be midnight, doesn't mean your teen should stay out that late if you aren't comfortable with it. However, an 8 o'clock curfew won't go over well at all and will likely lead to rebellion from your teen at some point. Find a happy medium that you are both comfortable with.

Visit Parenting My Teen For more Free info on parenting your teens

Teenagers who are extremely angry could be victims of abuse, suffering from depression, abusing alcohol or drugs, dealing with grief or other problems.

If your child is expressing bouts of anger, take a look at this behavior and try to determine what situations bring out the anger. Don't fuel the anger by elevating your own emotions. Of course, if your child is causing physical harm to someone in your home, you need to take action. Even then - keep it calm - just do what you need to stop the abuse from occurring.

Talk to your teenager when emotions aren't so high. Try to understand where they are coming from and really listen. Ensure they understand that mentally and physically abusive behavior isn't acceptable. If they feel angry, give them the opportunity to express it or if they feel like they just need a bit of time alone, allow them to get that. Harassing an emotionally-charged youngster isn't going to solve anything.

Visit My Out Of Control Teen to learn more about how you can help a teen that shows signs of trouble.

As the parent of a teen, you may long for the days when you could hold your child on your lap and they were eager to talk.

To many parents, their teen is a closed book and getting a teen to talk can be like trying to make the earth stop rotating. At times it seems impossible to get them to open up and talk about their lives. But talking to your teen and knowing about their lives is one of the best ways to protect them from danger. =

Here are a few tips on how to get a teen to talk:

Start young. Keeping a relationship going with your child is easier than starting one when you haven't had one before. You may find them trying to pull away once they hit a certain age; just keep at it.

Find common ground. To get your teen to talk, first search for things that you and your teen are both interested in. It's easier to talk about something that you both have in common. That way, you can ask your child about a band's new album rather than the same old "how was school?"

Be open to what they say. When you get your teen talking, don't be surprised if they say some things you don't like. Just be open to what they're telling you instead of being judgmental. You can tell them you don't approve of something without attacking them. If they feel comfortable talking about serious things, they'll be more likely to come to you if they have a problem.

Spend more together. A recent study showed that many teens rate not having enough time with their parents as one of their top concerns. Many teens feel they can't talk to their parents because they're always at work or busy doing something else. We often forget to take time out from our hectic lives to pay enough attention to our kids. Some suggestions for spending extra time with your teen are:

* Set up a specific time every week to spend time with your teen
* Have dinner at the table with the whole family as often as possible
* Work out or engage in a sport with your kids
* Drive your teen to school instead of sending them on the bus

While your teen may be reluctant to talk to you at first, keep trying. Likely, you'll eventually break them down and they'll look forward to talking with you and spending time together.

Help Me With My Teenager! A Step-by-Step Guide for Parents that Works.

I know what some are thinking.... "Sex, not my teen". Running from the topic of sex when it comes to your teen is never a good idea. Did you know that statistics show that parents can and do influence their teens attitudes about sex? Yes, teens do listen to us.

Studies show that teens who feel that they can openly talk with their parents about sex are less likely to engage in high-risk behavior.

It is important not to wait for your teen to start the conversation-it is up to you, the parent to open up those lines of communication. If you've already begun talking to your teen about sex, great! Keep talking :)

Here is an ARTICLE on how you can influence your teens attitudes about sex

Have you Hugged your Teen Today?

Having involved parents -- those who know a lot about their children's friends, activities and performance in school -- can help children overcome peer influence to start teen smoking, according to a study by a researcher at the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development (NICHD).

Parents often feel powerless against the tough issues teens face because they cannot control their teen's choices. While it is true that teens need to make their own choices, parents do have more influence than they think.

Here are some eye-opening facts about teens and smoking.

1. Every day in the United States, more than 3,000 young people become regular smokers. That's more than one million new smokers a year. According to the CDC - nearly all first time smoking happens before high school graduation. Take comfort in the fact that if your teen hasn't started smoking before he/she graduates, chances are he/she never will. That is good news. It means that you have the time to influence your teen and their choices.

2. Actively working on your teen's self-esteem, self-confidence and resilience can prevent your teen from smoking. Often, teens cite 'being accepted' as a reason for starting to smoke, along with modeling someone they admire, to loose weight or to overcome stress. Help your teen develop friendships, shape a healthy body image and deal with stress without having to turn to tobacco use.

3. Your teen needs to hear that smoking is bad for them from you. While your teen's friends may seem to be more important to your teen, you are his/her number one choice to learn about values. This is the time to make it count.

Grab some Smoking Prevention tips here.

What to do if You Suspect You Teen is Taking Drugs

All parents want to keep their kids safe, but with all the dangers in today's world that's getting harder to do. A big concern for many parents is drugs. While it's best to stop your child from doing drugs before they start, there are things you can do if you suspect a problem.

If you suspect your teen is doing drugs, talk to them. And I mean, just talk; no yelling, screaming, or accusations. Prepare what you're going to say ahead of time so you don't say something you didn't intend to. Tell them you suspect they're taking drugs and cite your reasoning. Give specific, documented examples of behavioral changes. Explain that you're just trying to help them, but if they don't tell you what's going on with them, you're going to have to take further steps. But be careful, what you perceive as drug use could just be caused by problems at school, problems with friends, or even depression.

If your teen doesn't want to tell you what's going on, you need to stick to your word and take further steps to find out if they're using drugs. Check your teen's room and car. If you have a good relationship with their friends, ask them what's going on. Make your child justify where their money is going. Also, make sure you know where your child is at all times (including checking school attendance records).

Once you have confirmation of your teens drug use, seek outside help. There are literally hundreds of people and organizations ready and willing to help you and your teen. If you don't know where to start, talk to your child's doctor, counselor, or minister. They may be willing to speak to your teen directly and recommend organizations and treatment programs to you. You must remember that you are not alone!

If you can't find any evidence that your child is doing drugs, take them to a pastor or counselor. Let them talk in individual sessions. Your child may not be opening up to you, but at least they will be getting help somewhere.

Drugs can be a terrifying prospect for any parent. Just remember to stay calm and get help. It may be a long road to recovery, but if you stand by your child and source the problem early on you will have a better chance of helping them.

Check out Teen Addiction for more help.

The key to helping your teen make good choices at school is to train him up in the way he should go and when he is old he will not turn from it. The End.

Ha! Don't we wish it was that easy? Even with the best upbringing teens don't always make the best choices. Shoot, adults don't always make the best choices. So what can parents do to tip the scales in the teen's favor?

1. Talk Talk Talk. Even if your teen goes into silent mode, keep talking with your child.

2. Lead by example. You can't expect your teen to behave in a manner contrary to your own.

3. Depending on the situation, you may want to share some of your own examples of what happened when you didn't make good choices.

4. If your teen mentions that so and so was caught with drugs in his locker, or her friend had sex with someone she met at a party - don't immediately condemn or judge those people. Use their poor choices as a springboard for open dialog.

5. Make it easy for your teen to be honest with you. Reinforce that no matter what, you still love her.

6. Remind him that you'll be more disappointed if he lies to you, rather than by some behavior he chose to participate in.

7. Accept that your teen may make some poor choices. Let that experience be a lessons learned for both of you. Examine what led up to that decision.

8. Denial is not a river in Egypt. If you have blinders on, it's time to take them off. No teen is perfect. Look for warning signs.

9. Don't give your teen too many liberties. Respecting ones privacy is one thing, but you still need to be the parent. Once your teen moves out of the home, you won't have the authority you do now.

10. Give your teen unconditional love.

When storms come, don't waste oxygen with should haves and could haves. There's no point in playing the "it's all my fault" card. What benefit will that pity party bring?

If your teen thinks she needs to be perfect, examine where that thought pattern originated. Some teens make poor choices because they rebel or because they don't feel they can live up to mommy's and daddy's expectations.

All you can do is your very best. You need to be able to look yourself in the mirror and know that you've provided your child with all the tools she needs to be a happy, well balanced teenager.

Talking to Your Teen about STD's and Safe Sex

Kids today are learning about sex earlier and earlier. The biggest problem is: much of the information they're getting is wrong. I cannot begin to tell you the incorrect and sometimes crazy things I've heard from my friends about sex, and much of this was when I was in college. That's why it's important for parents to talk to their kids about safe sex. That way, they get correct information from a reliable source. This could not only keep your child from becoming a parent too soon; it could also save their life.

Before you talk to your kids about STD's and safe sex, go out and learn about it yourself. You can't teach your child correct information if you don't have it. Even if you were informed when you are younger, there's a lot of information and products available now that you may have missed. There are tons of organizations out there ready and willing to inform you and your child about the options. If you don't know where to get started, check out Planned Parenthood. They generally have the most up to date information available.

While your preference may be to teach your kids about abstinence as the only form of safe sex, this method is generally considered to be unreliable. It may seem that teaching them how to be safe is just encouraging them to have sex, but just advocating abstinence has repeatedly failed to keep kids from having sex. Plus, knowing the dangers of sex may discourage your child from having it.

Some parents may be uncomfortable talking to their kids about safe sex, but it important for them to get the information anyway. If you don't feel you can talk to your kids, enroll them in sex education classes (a good idea anyway). If you feel your child isn't responding, you can try to find them a peer educator, or refer them to websites by teens for teens (there are plenty of good ones). Someone their age may be better at getting their message across.

While it may be uncomfortable or hard for you to talk about, you should educate your child about safe sex. This way they can make informed, educated choices about their lives.