Tip #6- Children do pick up on unspoken behavior and tension in the house. Be careful what you say to other adults or spouses. “Little pitchers have big ears” is a saying that is as true as ever in this economically stressful environment. Commentary by Margaret Murchan, LCSW
Tip #5- Parents – take care of yourself as well as your children. If you are fearful and beginning to see signs of panic, get help for yourself and your children will be the beneficiaries. Commentary by Margaret Murchan, LCSW
Tip #4- Be realistic. Do the best you can. Don’t give up on the job search. Your child will see this and will feel that you are actively working to find a job and you will be modeling competence and determination. Commentary by Margaret Murchan, LCSW
Tip #3- Try not to over do it Too much comfort or indulging of children can have the opposite effect. For example, when a teen is afraid to sleep in their own bed, an alternative is to go back to their bed with them until they settle into sleep. To have them sleep in your […]
Tip #2- Teens and children can feel they have some control over the situation when they can do something to help. They can learn to make home-made gifts for birthdays. In fact, sometimes those end up being the most precious for parents. Commentary by Margaret Murchan, LCSW
As adults we certainly have concerns over the current the effect on our own household budget. We have had to scrimp and save and have even had to work hard to keep our jobs. So how do we help our children during this tough time? how do we keep them somewhat sheltered from the grim […]
When determining consequences, it is a good idea to consider those related to the broken rule, that are short term, and that are given immediately. For example, if you teen comes home an hour late one night, you may consider giving them the consequence that they cannot go out the next night, or they will […]
Some parents are resistant to providing structure for their teens. Some may believe that setting limits and providing consequences will turn them into police officers in their own home. Some feel like they are being too harsh on their teens, others may believe that providing limits will create resentment or drive a wedge in their […]
Healthy structure is one of the most important gifts parents can provide for their teens. Growing up in a house with structure will help teens to predict consequences, learn from their mistakes and improve healthy relationships between parents and teens. Many adolescents will act as if they don’t like limits being placed on them; however, […]
Excerpt from “99 Tips for Talking with Your Teenager:” Tip #18: Share current news stories as an entry into discussions about relevant teen topics such as good driving, safety issues, substance abuse, etc. Teens are more receptive to information that comes from the news than to lectures from you. Commentary from ACS Executive Director, Dr.Philippe […]
