by Dennis Coates | Jan 22, 2023 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Alcohol, Critical Thinking, Drugs, Education, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Books, Teen Driving, Teen Success
60 years ago, I drove the family car through the heart of Stuttgart, Germany. No one else was in the car. I was a responsible kid, and I was doing my best to stay safe and arrive home without a mishap. But like every young driver, I had a lot to learn. I was ignorant...
by Dennis Coates | Sep 18, 2022 | Adolescence, Critical Thinking, Education, Health & Nutrition, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Books, Parenting Videos, Peer Pressure, Teen Culture, Teen Sex
Some pretty awful things can happen during adolescence. One of these tragedies is an unwanted pregnancy. I believe that parents need to “get real” about the risk that their child could get involved in an unwanted pregnancy. Think about it: At puberty, kids...
by Dennis Coates | Aug 29, 2022 | Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Parenting, Strong for Parenting
Youth is a time of growth, and it also needs to be a time for lots of learning. I’ve explained how with “4 Magic Questions” you can help your child get stronger from successes and mistakes. Being the parent you want to be can also mean learning for...
by Dennis Coates | Aug 15, 2022 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Parenting Books, Teen Success
When asked about teen brain development, I’m challenged to boil a huge amount of research down to a few facts. Here’s how I explain it: At the onset of puberty, a child’s body and brain are flooded with growth hormones. The resulting changes in the...
by Dennis Coates | Aug 4, 2022 | Critical Thinking, Education, Parenting, Personal Strength, Self-Esteem, Strong for Parenting, Teen Culture, Teen Success
Children are miracles. Loving parents know this. But kids start out life innocent and only learn what they observe and they’re taught. And these days, slogans such as “Black Lives Matter” are visible everywhere. When required to declare race on a...
by Dennis Coates | Jun 17, 2022 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Parenting, Parenting Books, Teen Success
If you like to read, here’s a good article from the Stanford Children’s Health website about the developing teenage brain. It attempts to explain how teens eventually grow out of thinking emotionally to thinking logically. As the article says, not all...
