by Dennis Coates | Dec 13, 2024 | Adolescence, Critical Thinking, Education, Guest Blog Posts, Parenting Videos, Podcasts, Teen Success
Even though I graduated from West Point, served 20 years in the U.S. Army, and retired as a lieutenant colonel, from age 16 I’ve always considered myself to be a writer. And since I co-founded what has become Grow Strong Leaders in 1987, I’ve published...
by Dennis Coates | Nov 11, 2024 | Adolescence, Behavior Change, Education, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication
What is it like to be a child? Do you have any memory of this? A refresher: Compared to any adult, a child is lacking in almost every way. Physically smaller than an adult, without financial resources, and woefully lacking in understanding about how the world and...
by Dennis Coates | Oct 30, 2024 | Adolescence, Critical Thinking, Education, Inspiring Quotes, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Programs, Teen Culture, Teen Success
Recently, a bizarre death was reported in most news outlets. A 14-year old boy fell in love with an AI image. This computer-generated image became so real to him that he saw her as a real person. Ultimately, he killed himself with his father’s pistol in order to...
by Dennis Coates | Oct 23, 2024 | Adolescence, Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Strong for Parenting, Teen Culture, Teen Sex
Eventually, your teen may want to have a boyfriend or a girlfriend. Most parents become concerned at this point because these relationships are new, and their child may be feeling natural sexual urges and want to explore. Of course, the consequences of teen sex could...
by Dennis Coates | Sep 2, 2024 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Parenting Books, Rebellion, Self-Esteem
Fact: If you haven’t nurtured a loving, trusting relationship with your child, they won’t be open to your guidance. And they need a lot of guidance. During the first 20 years of life, they have a lot of growing up to do as they avoid the pitfalls of...
by Dennis Coates | Jul 29, 2024 | Adolescence, Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Parenting, Parenting Books, Self-Esteem, Strong for Parenting
Life is challenging, for kids as well as adults. It takes character strength to deal with these challenges, to do the right things, the hard things. Character strength comes from dozens of behavior patterns that people form throughout life. And these behavior patterns...
