by Dennis Coates | May 26, 2020 | 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 | May 10, 2020 | 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 | Apr 24, 2020 | 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 | Apr 11, 2020 | 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...
by Dennis Coates | Mar 30, 2020 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Alcohol, Critical Thinking, Drugs, Education, Encouragement, Mentoring, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Blogs, Peer Pressure, Teen Culture, Teen Success, Work
It seems like yesterday when I published Conversations with the Wise Uncle: The Secret to Being Strong as a Teenager and Preparing for Success as an Adult (First Summit, 2012). Eight years ago! It’s a series of stories about a young boy named Chris and his uncle...
by Dennis Coates | Mar 15, 2020 | Adolescence, Health & Nutrition, Parenting, Peer Pressure, Teen Culture, Teen Suicide
If you found out your teen daughter was experiencing pressure from the cool kids to “hook up” with boys, would you encourage her to go along in order to be well-liked? I admit, it’s a silly question. Of course you wouldn’t. The many risks are...