A Fine Parent

A Life Skills Blog Exclusively For Parents

4 Simple Tips to Raise a Teen Who Dares to Say No – Preventing Teen Medicine Abuse

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(This article is part of the Strong Kids series. Get free article updates here.)

Stop Cough Medicine Abuse Article - Main PosterAs parents, the numerous pressures our teens face every day can be just as – if not more – overwhelming to us than these pressures are to our teens.

It’s easy to spend too much time thinking and worrying about our sons and daughters falling victim to risky behaviors, like over-the-counter (OTC) cough medicine abuse.

Conversely, sometimes we can get caught up in the “not my teen” mindset and never actually discuss risky behaviors with our teens.

Neither of these approaches are beneficial in raising strong teens who will say no to dangerous activities.

That said, what is beneficial is taking steps to help your teen navigate this transitional period in his or her life so he or she can confidently avoid and resist partaking in potentially harmful behaviors.

Use these four guidelines to raise a teenager who dares to say no:

[Read more…]

How to Foster a Positive Self-Image in Your Child (in a World of Social Media Pressure)

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(This article is part of the Strong Kids series. Get free article updates here.)

Positive Self-Image - Main PosterWhen you think of your sweet child fending off social media pressure, does your heart nervously flutter a little?

Does the thought of these negative influences leave you hoping (praying) they’ll solidly, confidently, know themselves and the RIGHT thing to do?

Can we give them the tools to see through negative influences with superman-like laser vision?

Peer pressure is reaching new levels of influence in this digital age, where bullying can happen behind the veiled, impersonal curtain of an electronic device.

By the time our children have their first Facebook account, we hope to have instilled in them enough of a sense of self that they can objectively evaluate any peer-to-peer situation. We hope that they already have a strong foundation in communication skills, and firm grasp of their personal values. We hope that they internally know the right things to do and are confident in the courage of their convictions.

This will give them the voice required to face interpersonal challenges and the ability to stand up for themselves, and those around them.

We can help our kids develop that strong sense of positive self-image. By starting early, and with a few language tricks, we can plant deep roots from which a strong, independent, confident, sense of self will grow. [Read more…]