by Dennis Coates | Parenting, Parenting Books, Teen Success
Recently I had an interesting conversation with an IT executive about his technical staff, and we ended up talking about “millennials,” the generation of adults currently in their twenties and early thirties. He said their narcissism, lack of resilience,...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Parenting, Teen Success
When Leo was growing up, his father rented a farm and worked it to raise crops. His dad needed his son’s help, so he taught the boy how to use tools and farm equipment. When he was fifteen his father died, and to care for his mother Leo had to take over working the...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescent Brain, Education, Teen Success
When I was in high school, I got an A in every subject I ever took. I didn’t find out until later that I hadn’t learned as much as I thought. But man, I knew how to make A’s! My dad was in the military, so I knew all about West Point. For years I wanted to go to...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescent Brain, Critical Thinking, Programs, Teen Success
If you’ve followed my blog, you know I often write about how a child’s prefrontal cortex (PFC) can be wired for basic critical thinking skills. The window of opportunity for advanced development of the PFC opens at puberty and closes sometime in the early...
by Dennis Coates | Critical Thinking, Education, Parenting Books, Personal Strength, Teen Success
It’s amazing what you see when you step outside the box. I’ve been focusing on the special challenge of raising teenagers for several years now, and I’ve been outside the box the whole time. Inside the box, you understand that you need to sacrifice...
by Dennis Coates | Adolescence, Behavior Change, Parenting, Teen Success, Work
Jennifer was a clerk at an auto parts store in Vista Hills. She got the job because Jackson, her husband, was a mechanic at the Chevrolet dealership and was friends with the owner. But she, like her husband, was a hard worker and added a lot more value than was...
