Parenting Teens and Getting a Divorce At The Same Time

Let's face it, parenting teens today can be extremely challenging.  With today's struggling economy and the stress of making ends meet, some parents are going through a divorce while trying to be a parent.

Getting a divorce is never easy, even if you have two amicable people and have all the best intentions in the world that your divorce will be a few signatures away, there are always bumps - if not pot holes!
Now double that stress while your teen is going through puberty, trying to keep their grades up to get into the college of their choice and emotionally feel the absence of what they once knew as their family.

According to the Ft. Lauderdale Divorce Lawyer Blog, Monroe County, Florida which is south of Broward and Miami-Dade has the second highest rate of divorced residents in the United States of America.

About.com has listed five tips that parents that are divorcing need to consider:

1. Take care of yourself.
2. Be available.
3. Stay consistent in discipline, routines, and relationships.
4. Keep your promises - both expressed and implied.
5. Be the one to model resilience.

Read complete tips at About.com.

Now look at number one.  What are you doing for yourself?  Well, there's a Blog for that!  Recently launched and about to offer a world of advice, resources, tips, and best of all  - voices from people that have gone through a divorce.

52 Things To Do After Your Divorce is a brilliant Blog that you can share your own experiences and feel free to ask questions of others that may have already been through what you are feeling.  The introduction will actually bring back memories with a flair of humor.

"Did you know that you can’t suffocate yourself by holding your breath? I tried."
Jump on today - add your comments, your two cents and you can learn from others.  The best part is you realize you are not alone and some of what you are going through you will make you chuckle years from now.

Being a healthy and happy parent helps you to be a better parent to your kids.

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Parenting Girls both Teens and Tweens

The PINK Locker Society is launched and tweens are talking about it!  Many are  thrilled to have a website that answers many questions and feelings that are difficult or sensitive to talk about.


From creating your Dream Locker with an interactive pop-up, to answering questions about your boy crushes or what to wear, The PINK Locker Society is fun, educational and offers a vast amount of information to help girls go from tween-hood into teen-hood.

Some of the most popular questions that are asked and answers are questions about getting their periods, boy crushes, and breast issues. As a parent, may have talked to their tweens about these sensitive subjects, however having a group of peer to talk to can really help understand they are not alone.  Let’s face it, this is a trying time for them and being able to see others (their peers) are struggling too helps them see their questions are not stupid.

Let’s get cooking! The PINK Locker Society also offers recipes for your girls to create and make.  Helping your daughter build her self-esteem is a major part of growing up and making good choices.

If you have a tween, get ready for the launching of The PINK Locker Society book that will be released September 14th.  Click here to pre-order today!

Be an educated parent, you will have healthier teens!

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iMOM: Become one today!

Inspiration, ideas, insights, information and more are all part of being an iMOM. From preschool to prom,  you will find valuable articles and tips for helping you be a better parent.

About iMOM:


iMOM is the newest program of Family First and the complement to the organization’s popular All Pro Dad fatherhood program. iMOM’s unique focus is to equip mothers with information, ideas and encouragement to positively impact their children in the following areas:

• Wisdom: Wisdom enables us to make good decisions in life. Without wisdom, a child is likely to make bad choices and suffer the consequences for those choices with potentially increasing regularity.

• Health: A healthy lifestyle is an important factor in a child’s life. How a child treats his or her body has a direct impact on how he or she grows physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

• Purpose: Without parental direction about life’s purpose, children will seek out answers for themselves. Often these answers will come from other youth and may not reflect a healthy, productive lifestyle.

• Relationships: Good relationship skills are essential. This skill development begins at birth through a child’s attachment to his or her mother. Without the ability to form and sustain lasting relationships, whether personal or professional, a child will struggle to find lasting joy and productivity in life.

The iMOM program is run by a team of moms, who have children ranging in ages from 3 to 21 and we understand everything you have to do as a mom. Their desire is to help meet your needs by providing you access to everything we have learned and are learning. iMOM is working for you, so you can do everything a mom does – only better.

Learn more at www.iMOM.com.

Remember, put family first!

Be an educated parent, you will have safer and healthier teens!

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Defiant, Disrespectful Adolescents: Parenting at your Wit's End

Teen Anger, Teen Rage combined, at times, with Teen Violence, is on the rise with the lack of respect teens are showing their parents as well as authority. 

"I don't care what you say I am doing what I want to do! I hate you and you just don't want me to have fun!" "All my friends are allowed to stay out late; you are mean and want to ruin my life!" "You have no idea how I feel and you are only making it worse!"

When a difficult teen is out of control, they only can hear themselves and what they want. It is usually their way or no way! There are so many factors that can contribute to these feelings. The feelings are very real and should be addressed as soon as you see that your child is starting to run the household. Teen Anger may lead to Teen Rage and Teen Violence which can soon destroy a family.

Again, local therapist can help your family diagnosis what is causing the negative behavior patterns. Conduct Disorder is one of the many causes to harmful behavior. Many times you will find a need for a positive and safe program to help the teen realize where these hurtful outbursts are stemming from. Parents tell us constantly, they are looking for a "Boot Camp" to achieve their mission to make their child "pay" for the pain they are putting the family through. In some cases this can create a Violent Teen.

Parents' Universal Resource Experts feel that when you place a negative child into a negative atmosphere, most children only gain resentment and more anger. There are some cases that it has been effective; however we do not refer to any Boot Camps. We believe in a Positive Peer Culture for teen help to build your child back up from the helplessness they feel.

If you feel your teen is in need of further Boarding School, Residential Therapy, Military Schools or Program Options, please complete our Information Request Form.


Lear more at www.helpyourteens.com.

Teens Dealing with Grief - Losing a Loved One

Death is part of living, however the shock of a young person dying suddenly and parents realizing they are burying their child, is devastating.

15 year-old McKenzie Wilson died on Tuesday suddenly. She was a Bolles School student entering her sophomore year and is reported her sudden death involved inflammation around the brain.
A Pray for McKenzie Wilson Facebook group for Wilson already over 800 members, many sending messages to Wilson and her family, like one who called McKenzie an "inspiration to many" and another describing her as a "a gorgeous girl inside and out."

McKenzie Wilson was a softball player and cheerleader as well as active in the fellowship of Christian Athletes.  On Tuesday evening there was a vigil at Bolles School where many friends, family and the community expressed their loss, love and memories.

There will be counselors available at Bolles School in Jacksonville next week as school begins.

KidsHealth for Teens offers tips to help teens deal with grief:

• Remember that grief is a normal emotion. Know that you can (and will) heal over time.
•  Participate in rituals. Memorial services, funerals, and other traditions help people get through the first few days and honor the person who died.
• Be with others. Even informal gatherings of family and friends bring a sense of support and help people not to feel so isolated in the first days and weeks of their grief.
• Talk about it when you can. Some people find it helpful to tell the story of their loss or talk about their feelings. Sometimes a person doesn't feel like talking, and that's OK, too. No one should feel pressured to talk.
• Express yourself. Even if you don't feel like talking, find ways to express your emotions and thoughts. Start writing in a journal about the memories you have of the person you lost and how you're feeling since the loss. Or write a song, poem, or tribute about your loved one. You can do this privately or share it with others.
•  Exercise. Exercise can help your mood. It may be hard to get motivated, so modify your usual routine if you need to.
• Eat right. You may feel like skipping meals or you may not feel hungry, but your body still needs nutritious foods.
• Join a support group. If you think you may be interested in attending a support group, ask an adult or school counselor about how to become involved. The thing to remember is that you don't have to be alone with your feelings or your pain.
• Let your emotions be expressed and released. Don't stop yourself from having a good cry if you feel one coming on. Don't worry if listening to particular songs or doing other activities is painful because it brings back memories of the person that you lost; this is common. After a while, it becomes less painful.
•  Create a memorial or tribute. Plant a tree or garden, or memorialize the person in some fitting way, such as running in a charity run or walk (a breast cancer race, for example) in honor of the lost loved one.

Many prayers and support to her family and friends.

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Teen Lingo - Teen Chat Decoder: What is Your Teen Saying?

There is nothing wrong with admitting there is no way we actually know all the teen lingo and the acronyms they use.  However it is very smart to keep a few websites handy for when you are in doubt or concerned about a text or IM that you can't figure out.

Teen Chat Decoder is an excellent website that not only has lists of acronyms and abbreviations, it has a search box you can type your questionable word/acronym in and it will give you the meaning.

As parents, when our kids started to use the Internet more and more, we did what any good parent would do – we monitored their online activity.

We reviewed their browser history, or some parental control software product like PC Tattletale. But it was really frustrating when we found that our kids used abbreviations and acronyms in when chatting online or via their cell phones.

Now some acronyms are pretty easy to figure out, like “LOL” (Laugh Out Loud), but many made no sense at all – unless you were 15!

So several years ago we put together what would eventually become the largest “Teen Acronym Only” database on the net. Teen Chat Decoder was designed to help parents understand what their kids were “really” saying online and to help keep them safe.

As schools will be opening soon, get a step ahead - learn more about Internet and texting lingo.

Be an educated parent, you will have safer teens!

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iMOM - Get in the know, join today for free

There are many online communities that have fantastic information and resources for parents.  iMOM is definitely on the top of this list. 
 
Whether you are considering daycare centers or stumbling through that adolescent stage, iMOM has a vast amount of resources to inspire you to be a better parent.

iMOM is the newest program of Family First and the complement to the organization’s popular All Pro Dad fatherhood program.

The iMOM program will provide information, ideas and encouragement to mothers where and when they need it – and from noted experts in a variety of specialties concerning childhood development and parenting. iMOM delivers their research and tools through the following resources:

• iMOM.com is a clean, inviting space for mothers to visit daily at their own convenience. The website is a library of parenting information arranged by relevancy to their child’s age and by topic. Specialists will be featured weekly as well as expert advice on breaking research and news. iMom.com strives to be your “Technological cup of coffee” – a place you go to daily for soothing and stimulating refreshment.

• Espresso Minute, a free daily e-mail, is a quick shot of parenting advice delivered Monday through Friday encouraging mothers to focus on one of the many facets of being a mom each day. The Espresso Minute will include a call to action that will help a mother build her parenting skills.

• Drive-Time CDs are a parenting tool designed for the busy mother who is often in the car. Each CD covers a parenting topic and each topic is broken down into 5 to 10-minute segments that can be listened to while carpooling, running errands or gong to work.

• Pillow Talk and Pillow Talk Tonight are for the mother who desires to pursue the heart of her child and develop a close and trusting relationship. Pillow Talk is a creative journal that leads a mother through the process of opening lines of communication with her child. The journal is interactive and used by both the mother and the child, with the suggestion of trading the journal back and forth by leaving it on the other’s pillow before bed.

• iMOM Mornings are school-based breakfasts designed to bring mothers and children together for support and inspiration. Meetings may incorporate a live speaker, a relevant topic, questions for group discussion and practice skills to take home.

Sign up today to keep up with raising our children in a safe and healthy environment.

Follow iMOM’s on Twitter and join them on Facebook.

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Teen Help: Dad's Getting Involved - Making A Difference

School is opening soon and parents are scrambling to get school supplies, uniforms books and other things needed to start off the school year. There is one item you can’t forget, that is yourself!
 
Did you know by just showing up can make a world of difference to a child?

Parent involvement has a positive impact on their child’s academic and social life in school. It can be difficult with many single parent households or parents that are working more than one job to make ends meet, but your child’s school should be high on your priority list. Even if you can only volunteer an hour a month, it makes a difference.

Traditionally mothers are the ones getting involved with their child’s school and community; this needs to change. Fathers are needed and wanted! More and more dads are getting involved and finding the time to make a difference their child’s life.

All Pro Dad’s is a simple idea with a profound impact. It’s a one-hour monthly breakfast held before school where fathers and their children meet with other dads and kids in the school cafeteria or a local restaurant. During this time, they discuss a wide range of family topics, spend time together, create fun memories, and are equipped with resources to strengthen their relationship. For more about All Pro Dad’s, please watch the short video here.

Is your community or school participating in All Pro Dad’s? Find a chapter near you, click here. Remember, family first!

Meet your team captain here.

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