by Dennis Coates | Behavior Change, Education, Encouragement, Inspiring Quotes, Parenting, Personal Strength, Teen Success, Youth Athletics
Here’s a quote worth reading and thinking about, from Frank Martin, head coach of the South Carolina men’s basketball team: “You know what makes me sick to my stomach? When I hear grown people say that kids have changed. Kids haven’t changed....
by Dennis Coates | Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Parent-child Communication, Self-Esteem, Teen Success
This weekend we’re headed to Corpus Christie to celebrate our niece’s wedding. Since our go-to cat sitter isn’t available, we found a 15-year-old young man who wanted the job. He came to our home to be briefed, and I had a chance to talk with him. Me...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescent Brain, Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Education, Health & Nutrition, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Books, Parenting Videos, Programs, Self-Esteem
My book, How Your Teen Can Grow a Smarter Brain, and most of the hundreds of articles on this blog, address how to encourage, support and coach a young person during the adolescent years to wire their prefrontal cortex (PFC) for the thinking skills that they’ll...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescent Brain, Drugs, Education, Health & Nutrition, Rebellion, Teen Culture
You don’t want your teen to smoke cigarettes. You don’t want your teen smoke marijuana. There’s the danger that normal development of the prefrontal cortex will be disrupted, with permanent consequences. Damage to lungs. Addiction. Gateway to other...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Mentoring, Parenting Books, Teen Success, Work
First, here’s what I mean by “smart.” One long-accepted understanding of “smart” involves acquiring knowledge: learning facts and basic principles. This is the primary business of middle school and high school. Kids understand this...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescent Brain, Alcohol, Drugs, Education, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Self-Esteem, Teen Success
Not long ago, I had a conversation with a local physician. Happily, we didn’t talk about my health. Instead, he spoke enthusiastically about his three children, two boys and a girl, all of whom have left home. He told me something unbelievable about them: all three...
