by Dennis Coates | Behavior Change, Encouragement, Inspiring Quotes, Parenting, Parenting Books, Strong for Parenting, Teen Culture
Caring parents who consider the advice of experts are on a journey to “get better” at raising well-adjusted adults who succeed in life and work. But it’s not easy. It’s not supposed to be easy. The culture is working against you – the...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Inspiring Quotes, Parenting, Personal Strength, Teen Success, Work
In my book, How Your Teen Can Grow a Smarter Brain, I explain that adolescence is a sensitive time window for developing foundation thinking skills in the prefrontal cortex and how to maximize that development. Important insights, I assure you. But establishing the...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescent Brain, Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Books, Teen Success
Every parent I’ve ever met hopes their teen will grow up to be a capable, successful adult, even though we all have seen instances of the opposite. Realistically, wonderful things can happen during the second dozen years of growing up. For example, a teen can: Become...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Encouragement, Parenting Books, Teen Success
I recently 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...
by Dennis Coates | Behavior Change, Encouragement, Parenting, Teen Success
My wife and I share a lot in common, but in one interesting way, we are quite different. She drinks a lot of water every day. Wherever she goes, she carries a bottle of filtered water. She’s always hydrated. I, on the other hand, rarely drink water. I’ve...
by Dennis Coates | Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Personal Strength, Programs, Teen Success
In my first draft of the above title, the word “Underprivileged” appeared before “Kids.” But the game I’m talking about is chess, which can help make any kid smarter, not just at-risk kids or kids from low-income families. That’s...
