by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Parenting Books, Peer Pressure, Self-Esteem
Teens are famous for doing wild and crazy things without thinking about the consequences. I shudder when I remember some of my own antics as a teenager. Of course one of the reasons for this behavior is that they’re experimenting and exploring their independence...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Parenting, Programs
A successful, happy life. I guess everybody knows it takes more than than money and beauty. Just ask Bernie Madoff. And guess what…It also takes a lot more than a good education and business know-how. I try to stress this point with parents. Yes, kids need a...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Books, Teen Sex
The book Conversations with the Wise Aunt has a chapter entitled “A Nice Way to Say No,” in which Aunt Maria explains to her niece, Trisha, how boys are different from girls when it comes to attitudes about sex. This brief excerpt is about how a teenage...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Rebellion
A few years ago, I had a reunion with some old high school buddies that I hadn’t seen in nearly 50 years. It was an amazing experience and a lot of fun. But I remember one comment my old friend Brian made about me: “Coates, you were always up to something. I...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Mentoring, Parent-child Communication
I’m just guessing, but it may be true that no teenager in the long history of planet Earth has ever been given “the brain talk,” even though it’s probably some of the most important information a teen can have. Nevertheless, imagine a young...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Alcohol, Parent-child Communication, Parenting
Adolescence is a perilous time. This is the period from about age 10 until the early 20s when the prefrontal cortex is going through the critical “use it or lose it” blossoming and pruning process on the way to establishing an individual’s foundation...
