by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Behavior Change, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Books, Self-Esteem, Teen Success
Fifty years ago, I began my graduate work at Duke University. Although I was an Army captain, a graduate of West Point and the Army Ranger School, and a decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War, my main interest was literature. I was a published poet, I won First...
by Dennis Coates | Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Parenting Books
Have you ever looked up at the night sky on a clear night to see the North Star? If you can spot the Big Dipper, follow the line from the dipper to a very bright star named Polaris. This star helped seafarers navigate for centuries. It’s very, very far away...
by Dennis Coates | Behavior Change, Education, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Parenting Books, Teen Success
In many ways, I’m thrilled to put 2020 in my rear-view mirror. The awful Covid-19 pandemic. Also, this was the year my family moved to a new home. It’s a nice home, and that’s the good news. The bad news is that moving was a mentally and physically...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Education, Health & Nutrition, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Blogs, Parenting Books, Programs, Teen Culture, Teen Sex, Teen Success
The human species, like all other species, exists because of its ability to reproduce. During the fertile years, men and women feel the urge to engage in sexual union, which is necessary to produce offspring. When I was much younger, my friends and I would joke about...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Behavior Change, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Parenting Books, Personal Strength, Self-Esteem, Teen Success
Even though kids are a work-in-progress, their current knowledge, skills, values, attitudes and motivation can lead to more learning and achievement. They may also bring a unique set of core personal strengths, such as patience, self-confidence, persistence, and many...
by Dennis Coates | Behavior Change, Education, Encouragement, Mentoring, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Parenting Books, Programs, Teen Success
Communicating well is a foundation element of effective parenting. How can you be a parent to your child without communicating? Whenever there are problems between parent and child, ineffective communication is almost always a contributing factor. And yet, when you...
