by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Alcohol, Critical Thinking, Drugs, Education, Interviews, Parenting, Peer Pressure, Teen Culture, Teen Sex, Teen Success, Work
One parent I know pushed her child hard to punch all his tickets in high school. He was a smart kid, but lazy. She felt she had to manage him to meet his requirements. His real love was playing video games, so he decided he wanted to be a game programmer. At college,...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Health & Nutrition, Parenting Books, Rebellion, Teen Culture, Teen Suicide
As Tom Kersting points out in his new book, Disconnected, kids graduating from college these days are the first generation to experience their entire adolescence while owning a smartphone. As a result, they spend hours a day glued to the small screen while engaged...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication, Peer Pressure, Self-Esteem, Teen Driving, Teen Sex, Teen Suicide
If your child should receive a request for a nude pic, how do you think they would react? You’d be surprised how many young people would laugh and consider it a harmless, fun thing to do, perhaps a way to be included with the cool crowd, never thinking about the...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Health & Nutrition, Parenting, Parenting Books, Self-Esteem, Teen Culture, Teen Sex
During the COVID-19 shut-down I heard reports that many LGBTQ college students who have been forced to study at home are experiencing unusual stress levels caused by their parents’ failure to accept their gender identity. They believe that their child has chosen...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Guest Blog Posts, Parenting, Teen Culture, Teen Success
For several years now I’ve promoted Your Teen online magazine on my website. If you’re like me, Your Teen has become your trusted resource for parenting teens and tweens. Jane Parent, senior editor, is one of my favorite authors, and she generously agreed...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Inspiring Quotes, Mentoring, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Personal Strength, Teen Success
“There’s nothing in a caterpillar that tells you it’s going to be a butterfly.” – Buckminster Fuller This quote made me think of my West Point class. Before I arrived there, I had made straight A’s for 12 straight years, graduating...
