by Dennis Coates | Jun 17, 2019 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Behavior Change, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication, Rebellion, Self-Esteem
I know several parents whose child is fast approaching adolescence. Even raising a sweet child can be difficult in many ways, but after puberty the challenges change. Middle school-aged children don’t want to be treated like sweet little kids anymore. Far from...
by Dennis Coates | May 16, 2019 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Parent-child Communication, Peer Pressure, Teen Culture, Teen Suicide
Imagine this scenario… A well-rounded, accomplished teen boy raised in a wholesome, supportive family is asked by a girl he believes is romantically interested in him, a stranger he met online, to send her erotic photos of himself. The reasoning part of his...
by Dennis Coates | May 12, 2019 | Adolescence, Alcohol, Critical Thinking, Rebellion, Teen Culture
A friend once told me a story about his older brother. My friend was a top student and multi-sport athlete in high school, and he eventually got a football scholarship and later had a successful career as an executive. His drive to achieve in class and in sports kept...
by Dennis Coates | Apr 29, 2019 | Adolescence, Behavior Change, Parenting, Rebellion, Self-Esteem, Teen Success, Work
I saw something striking while shopping for groceries the other day. A young boy, about 13 years old, was walking just ahead of his parents. No, not walking. Sort of dancing, as if he were a lurching, broken robot. A green bunch of hair shot straight up from the top...
by Dennis Coates | Apr 2, 2019 | Adolescence, Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Fitness, Health & Nutrition
What does it mean to be a parent? Every spring, a pair of swallows arrives at our front porch to update their nest and nurture offspring. A month or so later, their young leave the nest to learn the fine points of flying and finding food. This cycle sometimes repeats...
by Dennis Coates | Feb 25, 2019 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Alcohol, Critical Thinking, Drugs, Parenting, Parenting Books, Personal Strength, Teen Culture, Teen Success, Uncategorized
I recently had breakfast with some friends who have a graduating high school senior. He’s a great kid who wants to be a speech therapist and has been accepted into the right university for that training. Also, I pointed out that in addition to this wonderful...
