by Dennis Coates | Jan 20, 2020 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Parenting, Personal Strength, Self-Esteem, Teen Success, Work, Youth Athletics
I’ve lived long enough to be aware of the sometimes remarkable paths that lives take. When I was a West Point cadet, my activities and achievements were quite a bit different from my high school experience. I know the same was true of my classmates. For example,...
by Dennis Coates | Jan 11, 2020 | Adolescent Brain, Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Education, Parenting Books, Personal Strength, Teen Success, Work
“I was a terrible student,” he said, “always staring out windows or looking at the clock, waiting for class to be over.” From a very early age, the only thing that interested him was excitement, danger, and risk-taking. He considered schoolwork...
by Dennis Coates | Dec 17, 2019 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Alcohol, Critical Thinking, Education, Parenting, Personal Strength, Teen Success
I once had a conversation with an intelligent woman about the value of team sports. She said emphatically that the idea that team sports promoted teen development was utter nonsense (not her words) and that team sports promoted aggressiveness and generally callous...
by Dennis Coates | Sep 8, 2019 | Behavior Change, Critical Thinking, Parenting, Personal Strength, Self-Esteem
My wife and I were going to visit a friend. Our route took us to a stop sign at a T-junction at an Interstate access road. We could turn left or right to get to our destination. My wife said, “Turn left.” I replied that the shorter and quicker route would...
by Dennis Coates | Aug 12, 2019 | 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 | Feb 25, 2019 | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Alcohol, Critical Thinking, Drugs, Parenting, Parenting Books, Personal Strength, Teen Culture, Teen Success, Uncategorized
I recently had breakfast with some friends who have a graduating high school senior. He’s a great kid who wants to be a speech therapist and has been accepted into the right university for that training. Also, I pointed out that in addition to this wonderful...
