Parenting My Teen

As parents, it’s often hard enough to figure out how to spend quality time with your tween or teen in general, much less during the holiday season.  The holidays present a distinct challenge for families, and with blended families becoming more common, the challenges are different than ever before. Also, kids this age may find the holidays depressing and difficult, because they are leaving the magic of childhood holidays behind. It can be tough.  Finding some holiday activities that your teen enjoys can be a challenge but it is not impossible.

During this busy and sometimes emotional time of year, tweens and teens are sometimes torn between spending time with their friends and being with their families. Both types of relationships are important, but how can you find a balance?

Here are some tips for spending time with your tweens and teens this holiday season.

1. Host a Holiday Party

Hosting a holiday party for your kids’ friends can be a great way to spend some time with them. Of course, most kids this age don’t want you hanging out with them during the entire party, but the planning and decorating is something you and your kids can do together.

The quality time you spend with your tween or teen may not actually happen at the party, but there are plenty of opportunities surrounding the event for you to spend time together. You can plan a menu, grocery shop, decorate, buy or make favors, and plan activities together.

2. Family Getaway

A holiday getaway – especially if it’s to a cabin or ski lodge where there’s no cell phone reception – may be just the thing to connect with your budding young adults. Now that they are not really “into” Santa Claus and magical holiday secrets, an annual ski trip, snowboarding adventure, or fall foliage tour can be new traditions that foster family closeness.

3. Start New Traditions

As noted above, starting new traditions helps bring families together. Now you will need to shift to age-appropriate traditions, like the ski trip mentioned above or volunteering at a local homeless shelter. Other traditions might include delivering Christmas cards to nursing home residents, or holiday caroling around the neighborhood with a local group or church. These types of traditions help tweens and teens get the focus off of themselves for a while, too.

4. Participation

Now that your kids are old enough to participate in some more adult roles, see if you can get them to pitch in on a level that they will appreciate. For example, let your tween or teen pick out Halloween candy and give it out at the door, or encourage them to cook a special new dish for Thanksgiving or Chanukah.  

Real Life Guidance Guide to Understanding Your Teen This toolkit offers parenting help and help solve the mysteries in understanding your teen.  For more cheap Christmas gifts for teenagers, stop by the Parenting My Teen eStore!

It can be easy to think of teenagers as simply young adults when it comes to proper diet. The truth is that teenagers are still developing mentally and physically, and require specific nutrition to help them do so.

Teens tend to live on starchy comfort food and protein, such as potatoes, pasta, bread, meat and cheese. Although the protein and calories can be beneficial for rapid growth, most of these foods are nutritionally inferior.

Healthy teenage bodies are resilient, and generally respond well to improved habits in the future. Still, moderating such foods and observing a proper diet throughout the teen years can influence overall health in the coming decades.

Some of the specific things happening in teens’ bodies are bone growth, hormone changes and weight gain. Eating the right foods can help these processes take place as they’re meant to.

Bone Growth

Most of the bone mass that people have for their entire lives is built before adulthood. To prevent osteoporosis in later years, it is incredibly important to amass healthy bone tissue during the teenage years.

Calcium generally comes to mind regarding bone strength. Cheese is a calcium rich food, which is perhaps part of the reason teens love it. Low fat or fat free varieties of milk and yogurt are also high in calcium. It’s best to choose plain versions rather than chocolate milk and most flavored yogurts. These add refined and unnecessary sugars to the diet.

Avoid overdoing dairy by including calcium rich leafy greens, chick peas, almonds and fortified orange juice in your teen’s diet. It’s best to get calcium from whole foods as opposed to supplements.

Vitamin D is essential for proper calcium absorption. The best source is a few minutes daily of direct sunlight, which the body converts to vitamin D. When the sun’s not out, food sources such as salmon, shrimp, egg yolks and fortified milks are ideal.

Hormone Health

Teenagers experience significant hormonal changes, and are prone to hormone related symptoms like mood swings and acne. For the best hormone health, a well rounded and nutritious diet low in salt, added sugars and unhealthy fats is the best thing.

One of the easiest ways to achieve this diet is to reduce or eliminate fast and processed foods. Fried foods, refined breads, low quality meats and cheeses, artificial sweeteners and large quantities of salt characterize these items, and don’t do much beyond supply empty calories.

Load your teen up with fresh fruits and vegetables, nuts, fish, whole grains and healthy fats like olives and avocados. If you eat meat and dairy, opt for lean, organic options without the questionable injected hormones. The animals these come from are often in better general health, which means higher quality food for you.

Weight Gain

It’s common for teenagers to gain weight more quickly than adults. This is because of increased muscle mass (mostly in boys) and fatty tissue (mostly in girls). The teen years are not a time to adopt low calorie and drastic weight loss plans. A nutritious, varied diet low in processed food is best.

Of course, this is also a time that many children see unhealthy weight gain. If underlying problems such as thyroid trouble or diabetes are non existent, consider trading simple carbohydrates for complex ones, whole dairy for fat free and reducing salt and added sugars. For example, if white pasta and pork are typically in your meals, try switching to whole wheat pasta and turkey sausage. Swap out juice cocktails for natural fruit drinks and read labels for reduced sodium.

Remember to take into consideration your teenager’s lifestyle. Sports, environment and family habits can all be impacted by his or her dietary choices. For most kids, a well rounded, nutritious diet will see them well on their way to becoming healthy, strong adults.

Author Bio:

Katherine E. Reilly Mitchell is a freelance writer and mother with deep passions for writing and parenting. Currently she works for Assistanceforsinglemothers.com. Being a stay at home mom is not an easy task, and Assistanceforsinglemothers.com provides everything you need to thrive as a SAHM. Katherine also maintains a personal blog at www.humantextuality.com.

Click Here For More Free Information on Healthy Living

Are you wondering if your teen should get a job for the summer? Maybe you are a teen and you aren’t sure you want to get into the job world just yet. You might want or need to work, but you aren’t sure if there’s really any benefit to it other than making some money.

Actually, there are some significant benefits for teens who work summer jobs. It’s not just making money – it’s learning to manage it, cultivating a healthy attitude toward wage-earning, learning responsibility, and other benefits. Here are some of the benefits of summer jobs for teens.

1. Learning Where it Comes From

Having a summer job (or any job!) can be very eye-opening. Being on the other side of the counter/cash register/window/etc. can really help teens gain empathy and understanding of just what goes into a job. You may develop a whole new viewpoint about the person who delivers your pizza, or about the people who work behind a register on Christmas Eve so consumers can do last-minute shopping.

2. Money Management

While teens do not typically have expenses such as a mortgage, groceries, and home maintenance and repairs, they do have things they want or need to spend money on. When you earn money yourself, you tend to appreciate it more, and teens may develop a sense of just how money works. If you spend it on one thing, you can’t spend it on another, and once it’s spent it’s gone. This is a basic concept that even some adults have never learned!

3. Keeping Out of Trouble

Not all teens get into trouble if they don’t have a job. But sources point out that teens who hold summer jobs are less likely to get into trouble or engage in risky activities and behaviors.

4. Skill Set

Developing a marketable set of skills is important for future success. Holding a job in the summer is something a teen can add to his or her resume, and it’s experience he or she can cite on job applications.

5. Time Management

Managing one’s time is like managing one’s money – it does not always come naturally. And mismanagement of time and/or money can wreak havoc in a person’s life. Holding a summer job may help teens learn this important life skill – they will need to juggle time with friends and time spent at their job.

6. Sense of Accomplishment

Holding a job in the summer helps a teen feel more confident. It gives him or her a sense of accomplishment and confidence that he or she can carry along to the next opportunity.

Click Here for More Ideas on How to keep your Teens productive during the summer months.

Our world, and America specifically, is becoming more and more bilingual. Today’s kids are going to have a major advantage in the job market and in social circles if they know a second language, and Spanish is one that will give them some of the most far-reaching opportunities. Learning the language at a young age, when the brain is wired to accept language learning, sets the stage for future success. As you work to teach your child another language, these websites can be of assistance.

Spanish Online

Spanish Online (www.spanish.bz) is a fun, interactive site that offers everything from audio lessons to free online games. Some of the products are available via instant download, while others are available for you to purchase. What will appeal specifically to kids on this site is the games page. Here they can practice spelling and vocabulary with online hangman and other word games, play crossword puzzles and put together sound puzzles that are not only fun, but also reinforce correct pronunciation.

Purpose Games

Purpose Games (www.purposegames.com/game/spanish-seasons-quiz/info) has a collection of virtual quizzes that kids can use to improve their Spanish vocabulary. The colorful images and point-and-click nature of the quizzes will appeal to kids, and you can choose from things like seasons, colors, family names and other popular categories. The format is simple and kid-friendly, yet provides a way for you to reinforce the vocabulary being taught in the classroom. Best of all, these quizzes are free!

Study Spanish

Study Spanish (www.studyspanish.com) is not a flashy, colorful site, but it offers a tremendous amount of information for free, as well as even more information for those who choose to purchase a membership. If you can entice your kids to interact with the site, they can learn basic grammar, pronunciation, verb tenses and vocabulary, all from one website. Should you choose to purchase a membership, there are several different levels available. The most expensive student membership s $175 a year. The site, however, offers plenty for free, so it is well worth checking out if your child is serious about learning the language.

123 Teach Me

The 123 Teach Me site (www.123teachme.com) offers games, lessons, songs and videos to teach kids Spanish, and all for free. The kids will love the videos and the games, while parents and teachers will appreciate the step-by-step lesson plans to help their kids build vocabulary and grammar skills. The list of games, which is likely the most appealing aspect for most kids, is quite extensive.

Spanish Town

Spanish Town (www.spanishtown.ca/index.html) offers access to Spanish learning materials for people of all ages. From vocabulary quizzes to grammar lessons to games, this site has many tools to get kids excited about learning. Kids will particularly like the interactive lessons that are filled with pictures to help solidify the vocabulary they are learning. The site does have a fair amount of advertising, but that is on purpose, as the advertising allows the site to remain free.

Each of these sites offers a wide range of educational and interactive activities to help your kids learn Spanish, whether they are beginners or already have some learning under their belts. Since most of the activities are free, you have little to lose by taking advantage of them, and much to gain!

About The Author

Elli likes to blog about family and work life, home security and safety, and general home improvement tips.  She works in content marketing for YourLocalSecurity.com  (read more about them here).  To learn more about Elli, follow her on  Google+ .

We have found some tips on parenting teenagers that are very helpful. Signs of  teen depression can at times seem almost as normal teen behavior. Here is a great article that may be help you determine if your teen is depressed.

Today, more than ever, teens are faced with peer pressure, divorce, 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 of Teen depression –

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? Is the music foreboding? Are there dark and disturbing posters hung in your teen’s room? 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. Give them time to form the words to express their feelings. 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.

As you can see, there are many signs of teen depression. It is very important to keep the lines of communication between you and your teen open.

Related Resource:

Real Life Guidance Guide to Understanding Your Teen This toolkit offers parenting help and help solve the mysteries in understanding your teen.

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