by Dennis Coates | Jun 1, 2023 | Adolescence, Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Parenting Books, Teen Success
As i write this, swallows have built a nest above our front entrance way, and the momma and poppa swallows are busy catching bugs and feeding them to their three hatchlings. On occasion, we see three little heads peeking above the rim of the nest. Before long, the...
by Dennis Coates | May 15, 2023 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Parenting, Parenting Books
At puberty, a child’s brain is primed to develop the kind of critical thinking that will make them successful as adults. This fact of adolescence is massively important but all too easy to forget. At puberty, the brain cells in their prefrontal cortex, the part...
by Dennis Coates | Apr 7, 2023 | Adolescence, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Parenting Books
A friend of mine wanted me to help him with a project. We met and talked about what might work, but we didn’t agree on what to do. I told him, “Why don’t you give more thought to what you’d like to do, and we can meet again to nail down the...
by Dennis Coates | Feb 12, 2023 | Adolescence, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Rebellion
Both my sons are in their 50s, still pursuing highly successful careers in IT. But I’m still trying to communicate with them effectively, being aware of moments when a particular skill will work best for me — with my sons, my wife, my business partners,...
by Dennis Coates | Jan 9, 2023 | Adolescence, Education, Parent-child Communication, Parenting, Peer Pressure, Teen Culture, Teen Success, Teen Suicide
Today I read a disturbing article. The truth: the executives of tech companies that create social media don’t care. They not only don’t care if their technologies are addictive, they’re counting on it. They don’t care that vulnerable children...
by Dennis Coates | Nov 28, 2022 | Parenting
I sometimes reflect on what I’m grateful for. And not just on Thanksgiving. Number one for me is the fact that I’m still alive. I’ve sidestepped death a few times in my life. Plus, the lives of several dozen of my friends have already ended. But...
