Can you believe that summer is almost here? Seems as though we were just waking up our teens on the first day of school and now we’re contemplating how to keep them busy during the summer months!

Today I’m pleased to interview Shonika Proctor of Renegade CEOs.com. She is an author, speaker, award winning blogger and experiential teen entrepreneur coach based in Washington, DC who has been encouraging teens across the globe to pursue their wildest dreams and tap into their innate talents.

With the state of the economy today, teens and their parents have to get more creative with their summer job choices, especially since the typical retail and restaurant jobs are being filled by over-qualified candidates. Shonika will explain how parents can determine if their teen should even being pursuing the path of entrepreneurship.

You can also get your hands on The Teen C.E.O. Blueprint & Home Study Course and your teen can learn how to start a business, publish their own book, become a public speaker and more.

 

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Once our tweens cross that magic bridge into adolescence, one of the most difficult challenges facing parents is talking with our teenagers. With so many difficult yet important life choices facing teens today, it’s more important than ever that parents stay involved in their kids’ lives and TALK about the consequences of these choices.

My guest this week is Dr. Daisy Sutherland, aka Dr. Mommy. Daisy is a Doctor of Chiropractic by profession and a homeschooling mom to 5 beautiful children. Her passion is to teach the youth of today the importance of values and respect.

Daisy just launched a brand new program, Reserved Only, which is a 12-week structured e-learning course that teaches parents how to discuss the subject of sex and abstinence with their teen.  Find out how Abstinence is bigger than just “Sex” and also tune in to discover what the 3 R’s are.

If you are struggling with how to teach your child about abstinence and respecting their own bodies, visit the Reserved Only website and take advantage of the special introductory price offer.

Our good friend and author Vanessa Van Petten from her new site http://www.radicalparenting.com/ also joins us to tell us about the new site and all that you can find there. Stop by to see if you are radical enough and be sure to take their Radical Parenting Pledge.

 

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At long last I’ve come out of hibernation with a new podcast for you! This week I’m sharing an interview I did with Katy Lee when I was a guest on her Adventures in Parenting podcast. Katy is the mother of 3 teens and we had a very indepth conversation about how to stay connected and involved in our teens’ lives.

Some of the topics we covered included:

• how to open up the lines of communication when  your teen just wants to be alone
• how to create an open and non-judgemental environment where your teen will feel comfortable sharing thoughts, ideas, and feelings
• how to discuss tough topics such as sex, drugs, and alcohol
• and the Do’s and Don’ts of conversing with your teen

Our good friend and author Vanessa Van Petten from On Teens Today also joins us with some tips on choosing the best “car music” that teens and parents both can agree on.  Listen in for her great advice!

If you’re tackling a tough challenge with your own teen, drop me a note or leave a comment here and I’ll try to address your concerns in a future episode.

 

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The holidays can be loads of fun for some families but it can also be stressful and depressing for others. Teens are just as affected by the holiday craziness as are adults so it’s important to spend some alone time with your teen so they don’t feel lost in the hustle and bustle.

In this episode I share some great teen gift ideas and I also encourage you to talk to your teens about the dangers of drinking and driving. Many studies have shown that incidents of teen drinking rise sharply during the winter break from school so please pay attention to what your teen is doing in his free time and who she’s hanging out with. If it means being the uncool parent to confirm whether alcohol will be at a party, then be uncool. It could mean the difference between life and death.

Our good friend and author Vanessa Van Petten from On Teens Today joins us with some tips for handling a moody teen during the holidays. Sometimes you can help lift a teen’s mood simply by speaking to them as an adult, asking their thoughts on a subject, and listening to what they have to say.

Have a very Happy Holiday and a safe and Happy New Year!

 

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Computer technology is a double edged sword. The amount of information available on the internet is wonderful if your teen has reports or projects due but the internet also offers our teens a whole new world to explore, which can lead to dangerous or secretive behavior.

My guest this week is Katy Lee of Adventures in Parenting. She is a mother of 3 – two college age children and one 8th grader – and she is also a popular speaker whose passion is to help other parents raise children with good character, compassion, and integrity.

Katy’s latest passion is teaching parents how to parent in the age of the internet. She shares why she became interested in this topic, why kids spend so much time on the computer, and why spyware and filters aren’t enough to protect our kids.

Also on today’s show is Vanessa van Petten of On Teens Today. She shares a story and tips with us about pressuring our teens.

If you have any questions you would like addressed on the show, please leave a comment below!

Special Note From Our Sponsor:  We’re seeing and hearing everywhere that our teens are over weight and that the lack of regular, healthy physical activity is affecting their social and academic development.  It’s easy to keep them fit when they’re young and you can register them in all sorts of activities like, soccer and swimming.  But when they become opiniated teens some parents have to get a little more creative and determined in order to get their teens active.  Here’s a video and description of what I did.

 

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