Secrets of Living Life with a TeenAge Girl

1 - I can do better 2 - Jury's out 3 - Pretty darn good 4 - Splendiferous 5 - Awesometastic by 34 people | Log in to rate

Ranked #860 in Family, #18,417 overall

Parenting a Teen is a Challenge

Do you live with a teenage girl? Well, I live with two teenage daughters, and to save my sanity, I have learned some parenting tips to deal with the changes that all teen girls go through.

Living with a teenager girl is like living with Dr. Jekyll and Ms. Hyde. You never quite know which person you are talking to. One day they are polite, helpful, and surprisingly mature, and the next they are moody, bored, and rebellious. And that is only the beginning. So read on, laugh a little, and become a part of the teenage behavior survivors club.

Teens on the Web 

The Other Mercury: Teenage Daughter Killed Over Tongue Stud
"An Ntuzuma man was arrested yesterday after he allegedly beat his teenage daughter to death on learning that she had defied him and persisted in wearing a tongue stud. KwaMashu police Constable Mumsy Mfeka said the girl's father knew ...
Woulda Coulda Shoulda » Well, that's a relief
Me thinks everyone who has a preteen/teenage daughter has had to make that very apology. I feel your pain as all four of mine are girls'. We are in pre-teen and full on teen world at the same time. At least you don't have that hell to ...
What Will Your Teenage Daughter Look Like?
What Will Your Teenage Daughter Look Like? Are you wondering what your future daughter will turn out like as a teenager? Are you wondering if she'll have the same personality as you? Will she be successful? Well look no further! ...
Sanjay's Self-Development Blog: Stop Your Teenage Daughter's Drug ...
One such study that practically demonstrated how mothers can pull their daughters back from the slide into the precipice was conducted by sociologists from the University of Toronto and Columbia University. 591 pairs of teenage girls ...

What to Do To Survive With A Teenage Daughter 

Or How to Attempt to Keep Your Sanity

  1. Ignore the moods--they really have nothing to do with you personally. She is just being a teenager (morphing into an alien). Really.
  2. Speak to your daughter as if she is a rational being. There is one hidden under the hormones.
  3. Hug and kiss her even when she pulls away. She secretly wants to hugged even if it is not cool.
  4. Don't try to be perfect. You are much more believable when you aren't. Then she won't feel like such a failure if she makes a mistake. And being imperfect is so much easier.
  5. It's okay to get angry, and disappointed, but stay in control. She is learning from what you do. If you have to, walk away, then come back when you are in control.
  6. Tell your daughter stories of what goofy things you did as a teenager. You did some pretty dumb things, right?
  7. Find ways to laugh. When you laugh together, it brings you closer.
  8. Get to know her friends. Looks are not everything.
  9. Choose your battles. Remember you can always cut off the purple hair while they are sleeping.
  10. Make them stick to the rules. Having the rules really makes their lives easier. It's not having rules that confuses them.
  11. You don't have to be your daughter's best friend. Let her pick a best friend from her peers. She needs you as a parent more.
  12. Say no. Again, and again, and again. No should mean no.
  13. Give your daughter privacy, but let her know that privacy is a privilege.
  14. Don't forget in all the craziness to tell her you love her. Girls have it tough. She needs to know.

Mothers Are Crucial 

You are a role model.

No matter what your daughter tells you, mothers are crucial.

Teenage daughters learn from their mothers how to be a woman, and how to act in the world as a woman. No matter what they tell you, they really are paying attention to everything that you do.

Have you set firm rules for your daughter? How else is she supposed to get out of things she doesn't really want to do with her peers?

What kind of example are you setting? Are you confident in yourself so she will learn to be?


Being a teenage girl in today's world is a lot more difficult than it was when you were a teen--and that was no picnic.

Being a woman is also very confusing. You, as your daughter's role model, are very influential--even when you think they are not listening.

Teens Eat a Lot But They Are Very Picky 

Healthy teens are easier to live with



Have you ever really thought about how teenagers eat? We know that they are always hungry. At least it seems that way in my house, but what exactly are they eating and is it fuel for their bodies and minds?

Teens burn off a lot of energy through growth, but they need to learn to eat in a healthy manner to start their adulthood strong.

It is often tough to control what they eat, but you can help by having healthy snacks in the house, and teaching them quick and easy recipes that they can made for themselves.

I recently taught my daughter how to make an easy quesadilla by just melting shredded cheese inside a flour tortilla. The same daughter asks me to buy bags of ready to mix salads in the grocery store so that she can have them as snacks.

With so many health food grocery stores these days, there are more and more convenient and easy ways to eat healthy snacks and meals. Help your teens grow up eating healthy foods as a matter of course, instead of forcing themselves to because they know it is good for them. Healthy teens are much happier teens.

 

Holidays

Real Pressures Teen Face 



Being a teenager has always been a tough age. The tug of war between childhood and adulthood mixed in with changing hormones and peer pressure has been in the mix for generations. Nowadays, however, teenagers face more and more dangers that even their parents never even heard of.

HIV is alive and well, and safe sex practices are not just to avoid pregnancies anymore.

We hear about teen shootings in schools every few months. We had one here in Cleveland, just a few months ago, and I happened to know a teacher in the school.

Drugs are prevalent in all levels of society. Although we don't hear about it quite as much as when I was a teen, the danger is still quite current.

And for girls there are added pressures.

Self-confidence is extremely vulnerable in teenage girls. Many girls who are confident in elementary school become less so as they become teens.

Self-confidence is very important in teenage decision making. They are already fighting peer pressure constantly. It is critical to help them like themselves as people.

Girls face body image issues constantly. From magazines, TV, movies, and online, they are bombarded with inappropriate images to aspire to, including unachievable body images, inappropriate behavior, and negative role models.

One minute they are watching a show on a Nickelodeon or Disney channel, and the next they hear that their favorite star is pregnant or featured online in compromising photos.

Parents need to know even more now, than they did in the past, what their children are doing, who they are doing it with, what they are watching on TV or online, and who they are corresponding with.

It is our job to teach our children that people are not always who they say they are, and how to be responsible adults.

And then we need to trust them until they prove us otherwise.

Just Got Braces? 

Did your teen just get braces? Here is a book to cheer her up!

The Excruciating History of Dentistry: Toothsome Tales & Oral Oddities from Babylon to Braces

Amazon Price: $14.03 (as of 11/08/2009)Buy Now
List Price: $17.99
Used Price: $5.31

Release Date: 12/31/1969

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Usually ships in 24 hours

Typical Teen Behavior 

Get Out of My Life, but First Could You Drive Me & Cheryl to the Mall: A Parent's Guide to the New Teenager, Revised and Updated

Amazon Price: $10.20 (as of 11/08/2009)Buy Now
List Price: $15.00
Used Price: $1.33

Release Date: 12/31/1969

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Usually ships in 24 hours

Teen Rebellion with a Twist 

Do Hard Things: A Teenage Rebellion Against Low Expectations

Amazon Price: $12.23 (as of 11/08/2009)Buy Now
List Price: $17.99
Used Price: $9.39

Release Date: 04/15/2008

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Usually ships in 24 hours

Helping Deal with Your Teen 

10 Days to a Less Defiant Child: The Breakthrough Program for Overcoming Your Child's Difficult Behavior

Amazon Price: $10.17 (as of 11/08/2009)Buy Now
List Price: $14.95
Used Price: $7.95

Release Date: 12/31/1969

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Usually ships in 24 hours

An Interesting Theory on Teen Behavior 

The Price of Privilege: How Parental Pressure and Material Advantage Are Creating a Generation of Disconnected and Unhappy Kids

Amazon Price: $10.04 (as of 11/08/2009)Buy Now
List Price: $13.99
Used Price: $4.62

Release Date: 07/29/2008

Avg. Customer Rating: Amazon Rating

Usually ships in 24 hours

 

SKECHERS Official Shoe Store

Positive Teen Role Models 

Miley Cyrus & Emily Osment - TEEN Magazine Photo Shoot

Behind the scenes of Miley & Emily's TEEN photo shoot! For more great videos from Teen check out: http://www.teenmag.com/video/?src=syn&mag=tee&dom=youtube&chan=home&link=rel_11 More from the World of Teen: http://www.teenmag.com/?src=syn&mag=tee&dom=youtube&chan=home&link=rel_12 -

Runtime: 1:23
4394888 views
10 Comments:

curated content from YouTube

What Do You Think? 

Girls or Boys

teenage girls

The Age Old Question--Are Girls or Boys Harder to Raise?

Loading Fetching blurbs now... please stand by

Girls--I am Tearing My Hair Out.

QueSea says:

Girls without a doubt! Something about that mother-daughter thing (smile).

QueSea says:

Girls, without a doubt! Something about that mother-daughter thing (smile).

aj2008 says:

Has to be girls - I have three and their brother was definitely easier than any of them!

WendyKrick says:

I have 3 teenagers and girls are harder only because they are way more sensitive and emotional.

Jewelsofawe says:

I am going to say girls. My stepson, also a teenager of 16 is easier than my girls

vbright105 says:

Girls. I've had 4, and had 6 step kids, equal amount of boys and girls. Girls are MUCH tougher, in my opinion, to deal with

OhMe says:

girls

annetteghallowell says:

I only know girls as my one and only 18 year old daughter just left for college! I have heard from friends with both that girls win by a landslide! FYI-after 16 she turned human again!

Stazjia says:

I think girls are generally more difficult because they mature earlier than boys. They are also harder because us mothers can usually remember exactly what they're going through and have to not let empathy interfere with good judgement.

Boys--How Can You Even Think Differently?

uptoyou says:

I raised 2 of my neices and three boy's of my own.
If I have to choose which was easier I say boy's,but keep in mind the problem's are alway's different between the both
their really is no easier.You just have to love them all through whatever they are going through.

rms says:

Everyone tells me that boys are easier but I don't have any daughters to base that on.

Evelyn_Saenz says:

Either boys or girls are the most difficult at different times and yet having the privilege to raise them is the most rewarding experience.

 

Fathers are Vital 

You teach your daughter what men are like



The father of a teenage girl is just as important as her mother. Fathers teach their daughters how men are supposed to behave.

Fathers teach their daughters how men treat women. And they do this every moment of every day by their actions and interactions with the women around them.

How do they treat their own mothers? Their wives? Their daughters? Do they really listen to what women say to them? Do they respect their female relatives' opinions?

How do they speak about their female coworkers? Their bosses? And at their angriest, do they take out their strength on their wives and daughters?

Fathers help a daughter define her self-image. She looks in your eyes and sees what you see. She is a reflection of you as much as she is of her mother.

And you are her protector. And sometimes her excuse to get out of doing things she really doesn't want to do with her friends anyway.

Parenting a Teenager 

Parenting the Autistic Teen | autisable
Parenting the Autistic Teen. Kids these days no longer come to their parents for answers, they text their friends, Google it and put it on Facebook /My Space, which inevitably results in exposure to unwanted or inappropriate influences. ...
about my son - Parenting Teenager - Free Indian Web Discussion ...
my son is 16 yrs old and he is a clg gng lad aftr 10th,but he is not at all serious about his studies and doesnt take even a copy to note down anything frm clg wid him. He doesnt even listen to anyone abt which we r saying rather he ...
We Indians are very emotional - Parenting Teenager - Free Indian ...
Why is it that even if we have an unruly teenage son/daughter, we still bear their tantrums and pressure, and some parents also the violence from their teenage child ? We still contnue to want them to be with us with the hopes that they ...
NO-NONSENSE PARENTING FOR TODAY'S TEENAGER
Teen parenting is an a challenge at the best of times ranging from the exhilarating to the terrifying. Parenting teens successfully rarely happens by accident.

"Don't forget to listen to your daughter, and tell her you love her."

Sites Where Teens Spend Their Time 

Fan Fiction
This is a site for fans of anime to write stories and read other fans' stories.
Youtube
Lots of TV and videos
Facebook
My daughter is on this, and so am I. Not just for teens.
MySpace
MySpace is becoming passe here with the friends of my girls, but lots of kids still use it. It has gotten a lot of press for not being safe for kids, and not having the kind of security that Facebook has.
Cartoon Network
Cartoon Network online and on television.
Disney Channel
Disney Channel is working hard to appeal to teens and it is working to some extent, especially with girls.
Manga
One site to find manga. Pretty much any manga site will attract teens.
Itunes
If it had to do with music, dvds, podcasts, or anything audiovisual, Itunes is the favored site.
Veoh
This is a site like Youtube with videos.
Joox
Another video site.

Teens Will Be Teens 

Loading Fetching new data from eBay now... please stand by
eBay

Books Teenagers Read 

This is the beginning of a list of books teens love. Please feel free to add to this list.

Megatokyo, Vol. 3 by Fred Gallagher

Megatokyo, Vol. 3 by Fred Gallagher

The wildly popular American manga web comic hits i more...0 points

Yurara, Vol. 5 (Yurara)

Yurara, Vol. 5 (Yurara)

"When a young girl is called to fight evil sp more...0 points

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) by J. K. Rowling

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (Book 7) by J. K. Rowling

Readers beware. The brilliant, breathtaking conclu more...0 points

Gossip Girl #1: A Novel (Gossip Girl Series) by Cecily Von Ziegesar

Gossip Girl #1: A Novel (Gossip Girl Series) by Cecily Von Ziegesar

lder teens and adult readers can't get enough of G more...0 points

Naruto, Volume 30 by Masashi Kishimoto

Naruto, Volume 30 by Masashi Kishimoto

Naruto is a ninja-in-training with an incorrigible more...0 points

InuYasha, Volume 1 by Rumiko Takahashi

InuYasha, Volume 1 by Rumiko Takahashi

Transported back to Japan's feudal era, high schoo more...0 points

Teens Go Green 

Give your teens a cause to fight for

Teens need to get involved with something and the green cause is a great cause for them to get involved in. The whole world is going green and it is a positive, healthy goal for any teen or adult.



Here are some examples of green teen organizations:
--The Green Teen Community Garden Program
--Teen Green: Local Teens Making a Difference

As I find more, I will add them to the list.

The Green Teen: The Eco-Friendly Teen's Guide to Saving the Planet 

And more green teen resources


The Green Teen:
The Eco-Friendly Teen's Guide to Saving the Planet


Today's teenagers are standing at the crossroads of environmental history. Global warming will fundamentally change the world as they know it within their lifetime. But how to keep their healthy environmental awareness from becoming environmental anxiety? The secret is to provide them with education and tools for positive action.

Written in easily accessible language, The Green Teen combines simple and quick eco-friendly tips, interviews with "green teens," ideas for organizing and communicating environmental change, and a host of resources in a handy "grab-and-go" format. Teens will learn:

* How the choices they make each day impact the environment
* How to fit eco-friendly decisions into their tight schedules and budgets
* How to effectively get today's decision makers involved in environmental stewardship

Teens want to learn how to minimize their environmental impact at home, at school, and in their communities and get their concerns recognized by school officials, politicians, media, and even their own parents. The Green Teen is the book that will help them do it, and it is also a must-read for parents, grandparents, teachers, and school administrators who want to help the next generation make environmentally responsible choices.

Generation Green: The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life


Generation Green:
The Ultimate Teen Guide to Living an Eco-Friendly Life


Review
"Every generation thinks they want to change the world. If the latest generation is serious about it, Tosh and Linda provide the blueprint. This book is deep and yet fun and smart and filled with great tips, facts, stories, and interviews. Every school needs to have Generation Green as part of their curriculum!"
-- Ed Begley, Jr., Living with Ed, for Discovery's Planet Green

"The guide is packed with tons of tips for becoming eco-chic..."
-- Teen Vogue

"We've got Generation X and Generation Y. Generation Green has a much better ring to it!"
-- Amy Edelen, co-host of FreshlyGreen.com & co-owner of YourGuidetoGreen.com

"Generation Green is a fast-paced and easy read for any young adult who's interested in finding purpose in their life and making a difference. If you know a teen that longs to be inspired by something more than reality TV, Generation Green is chocked full of fun and easy-to-apply actions which prove how small things can make a huge impact. Buy this book for every teen you know and allow them join with us to transform the world!"
-- James Arthur Ray, New York Times best-selling author of Harmonic Wealth

"Linda Sivertsen is the greenest person I know. She was born green!"
-- Leeza Gibbons


We all know about the Earth's environmental crisis, but there is someone who can truly make a difference: you. If you text your friends or chat with them online, download music to your iPod, or toss bottles and papers into recycling bins, you're already more eco-savvy than you think. It's just as easy to do even more to help save the earth, and Generation Green shows you how. This book:

* Lays out the inside scoop on the biggest issues affecting our planet, such as global warming and overflowing landfills
* Offers dozens of tips on how to shop, dress, eat, and travel the green way
* Includes interviews with teens like you who are involved with fun, innovative green causes
* Shows that being environmentally conscious can be a natural part of your life -- and your generation's contribution to turning things around.

It doesn't matter if you can't vote or drive. Your efforts -- big or small -- will contribute to saving the planet. It's time for all of us to take action. It's time to go green!

Green Topics to Get You Started 

 

Mom, Why Do I Have To. . . . 

Finish the Sentence With Your Teen Experiences

aj2008 wrote...

This is a brilliant lens. One daughter is way past her teens (phew!) but the other two are fast approaching - their poor father is in for such a shock. There''s some great advice here - I agree with the one about "Pick your battles" - I conceded defeat in the "Battle of the untidy bedroom" with Daughter Number 1 as there were others that were more important to fight, like going to school EVERY day!!

Thank you for this lens Paula, it has reminded me of some very important tactics. SquidAngel Blessings from a grateful Angel.

ReplyPosted August 12, 2009

sunita wrote...

Your lens is inspiring.Sometimes it is difficult to handle teenagers,but with patience and love ,they can understand our point of view.
Teen parenting Help

ReplyPosted December 11, 2008

GrowWear wrote...

Lovely lens, Paula!

ReplyPosted December 10, 2008

WendyKrick wrote...

Wonderful lens. I have Three teenagers two of which are girls. Jaimie is 17 and Jessica is 14.

ReplyPosted December 08, 2008

JaguarJulie wrote...

Well, if you asked my mom about this, she'd tell you that I personally was an angel amongst my sisters and brother as teenagers!!! Yes, truly. ;) Now, my one sister was rather 'heck on wheels' and the great equalizer -- her daughter turned out to be 'heck on wheels.' Ah, to be a teenager again! Terrifically inspiring lens Paula.

ReplyPosted December 08, 2008

Jimmie wrote...

I've only got a few more years until my Sprite is a teen. Wow do the years go fast! I think that our relationship will weather those storms of the teen years, but I do believe that the foundation is laid now, when the daughter is young.

ReplyPosted December 08, 2008

JustBon-Crochet-Designs wrote...

I have a 27 year old son...and that can be like dealing with a teenager sometimes ;)

ReplyPosted December 07, 2008

Jewelsofawe wrote...

Thank you! I have 3 teenage daughters ages 17, 15 and 13. I needed the manuscript of how to deal with them.
p.s. I am surviving somehow...lol

ReplyPosted December 07, 2008

a-ha-design wrote...

I love this lens. Keep it up! :)

ReplyPosted October 23, 2008

beeobrien wrote...

I'm just learning about all of this. Thanks for the guide.

ReplyPosted September 28, 2008

funwithtrains wrote...

Great lens, 5 stars! My daughter is 5, so luckily I have a little time before I have to deal with most of these concerns.

ReplyPosted September 21, 2008

Evelyn_Saenz wrote...

In the midst of it all, loving it and hating it and preparing for another round.

ReplyPosted September 21, 2008

rockycha wrote...

Outstanding lens, deep and relevant! High Fives and lensrolled to my girltech. :D

ReplyPosted September 20, 2008

WendyKrick wrote...

I have been really blessed. I have two girls Jaimie (17)Jessica 14 and I have a 12 year old named Josh. I love these ages. They are each so unique. I love being their Mom. I love this lens Paula. 5 stars.~Wendy

ReplyPosted September 20, 2008

poddys wrote...

Very nice lens, 5***** Teens are hard to live with, you love them and hate them... With luck they learn to understand where you are coming from by the time they reach their 30's...

ReplyPosted September 19, 2008

vbright105 wrote...

I have one teen left. IF she survives it! I just keep thinking what I put my parent's through at that age (although, not near as much as she does!) 5*

ReplyPosted September 19, 2008

susannaduffy wrote...

Are they really human? Sometimes I wonder about my daughter and try to remember if I found her under a cabbage leaf and have forgotten about it. 5* for reminding me about the importance of building self confidence in teenage girls (and for telling her that you love her)

ReplyPosted September 16, 2008

mulberry wrote...

I never had any teenagers. It was knowing that one day any baby I had would become a teenager that prevented me from having kids. (just kidding, mostly) I know I was a very moody teen!

ReplyPosted September 14, 2008

eccles1 wrote...

'a teenage girl is like living with Dr. Jeckyl and Ms. Hyde. You never quite know which person you are talking to'..tooo funny but so true keep up the great work

ReplyPosted September 11, 2008

The_Party_Animal wrote...

be home early - everyone else is allowed to stay out late

ReplyPosted August 25, 2008

More Lenses by Paula Atwell 

 

If U txt & drv U suk | Bob Wire | Community Blogs | NewWest.Net
Those extra minutes saved could mean the difference between your daughter knowing that you care, and raising a teenage girl who becomes pregnant at 15 because her selfish asshole of a dad didn't rush to her side that time she fell off ...
raising a teenage girl... complete failure
i found yesterday that i have completely failed at trying to raise a teenage girl! what did she do to make me see my inequities? well, its to horrific for print. i will not even discuss it on the phone with anyone other than my other 3 ...
Problems Raising a Teenage Girl - How To Raise a Teenage Girl ...
You might have to face some problems while raising teenage girls, but on the whole, it's fun. Check out information on parenting teenage girl.
Yellow Wallpaper: A Milestone in My Life
Though I'll admit that things like this make me wonder how I'll be able to survive raising a teenage girl. 8/23/2009 5:34 AM · Science Teacher Mommy said... Nice bra, FoxyJ. Like a really high rise belt. 8/23/2009 7:39 AM ...

About lakeerieartists 

Lensmaster lakeerieartists, aka Paula Atwell, has been a member since June 5 2008, has rated 2,092 lenses, favorited 134, and has created 247 lenses from scratch. This member's top-ranked page is "Eco-Chic Green Fashion". See all my lenses

Check out these great lenses...

lens image
Eco-Chic Green Fashion
Are you aware that GREEN is the NEW BLACK? And when I say GREEN, I do not mean the color Green, but Eco Clothes--Eco-Friendly Clothing--Eco-Chic Green Fashion. The fashion industry is becoming greener every day, and the more we demand organic and e... view lens
lens image
"Making your First Lens" Mentor
EVERYBODY can Squidoo! You can too! It might take you an afternoon to 'get the hang of it', but that afternoon can be LOTS of fun. You don't need to be an expert in anything 'internet-y' to be able to build a beautiful, useful and successful Squido... view lens
lens image
WAHM or WAHD? Create Multiple Streams of Income From Home With Squidoo
Are you a stay at home mom or dad looking to create income streams so that you can work from home while focusing your attention where you should--on your children? Squidoo is a great opportunity for you to create multiple income streams that will gr... view lens
lens image
Lake Erie Artists Gallery at Shaker Square
Lake Erie Artists Gallery has moved from downtown Cleveland, Ohio to a new location at Shaker Square, the second oldest shopping center in the United States, at the junction of Cleveland, Ohio, Cleveland Heights, Ohio and Shaker Heights, Ohio just ea... view lens
lens image
PMC Metal Clay Tips and Tutorials
Precious Metal Clay is a unique material made up of particles of pure silver or gold mixed in an organic binder. It is available in several forms, but the most popular is the lump clay. Once fired you are left with fine silver or gold. If you are ju... view lens

Explore related pages

lakeerieartists Recommends...

Create a Lens!