by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Parent-child Communication, Parenting Books, Teen Culture, Teen Sex, Teen Success
In the adult world, dating is like an audition. An acquaintance asks you out to dinner or an event, which will give you time together to learn more about each other. Will you enjoy each other’s company? Will you have shared values and common ground? Will you...
by Dennis Coates | Critical Thinking, Education, Encouragement, Fitness, Health & Nutrition, Programs, Teen Success
I know that not everyone wants to “be all you can be.” Not everyone is serious enough about personal growth to do something about it. A whole lot of people are happy with who they are, thank you very much, and wake up to each new day content to consume...
by Dennis Coates | Inspiring Quotes, Parent-child Communication, Personal Strength, Teen Success
Once upon a time, when my youngest boy was about 18 years old, we were walking together and he asked me, “Dad, what does masculinity mean to you?” A loaded question. I sensed that he was aware that he was growing into manhood but was unsure what it meant...
by Dennis Coates | Drugs, Education, Fitness, Health & Nutrition, Teen Success
How could viewing over 25 paintings by early San Antonio artist Julian Onderdonk make me think of video game addiction? It happened. The San Antonio Museum of Art recently featured the collection of Onderdonk, an American impressionist painter who died in 1922 at the...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescent Brain, Teen Success, Work
I stood under the front entrance canopy of the H.E.B. grocery store as I watched cold rain pouring onto the parking lot. Slowly moving toward me was a young woman pushing a train of about fifteen shopping carts. Her head was down as she leaned into the carts,...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Education, Parenting, Parenting Books, Rebellion, Teen Culture, Teen Success, Work
Since the 1990’s, when Dr. Jay Giedd and his colleagues at the National Institute for Mental Health published their pioneering research about adolescent brain development, more than a dozen authors with different backgrounds have written about “the teen brain.” For...
