All posts by Suzanne Shaffer

book reviews, extracurricular activities, Sponsored posts, Uncategorized

The benefits of participating in a high school debate team

 

high school debate teamThe education you have during high school can benefit you in college.  This is especially true if you plan to pursue a law degree.  There are reasons to make a high school debate team a part of your education.

A Debate Team Will Help You Learn Communication Skills

When you work in the legal field, you need to know how to communicate effectively.  The best way to prepare for success is to learn these skills in high school.  There is no better way to learn effective communication skills than by participating on a debate team.

Debate requires you to think clearly and carefully before you speak.  You will learn to formulate your thoughts, and know in advance what you want to say.  You will learn to be logical and rational.  These skills will help you communicate in an effective manner.

Your Education Can Help You Learn To Focus On Facts

When debate is part of your education, you will learn to separate emotions and opinions from facts.  You will be able to approach each topic you debate from a logical perspective.  These skills will be useful in the classroom, and in your future career.

Debate Will Help You Gain Confidence In Yourself

Confidence is an important part of your education.  Not only is confidence essential to a successful career, it can also make your life better when you are in college.

A person who has confidence in himself is more likely to resist negative peer pressure.  If your fellow students drink, use drugs, or engage in other harmful activities, the self-confidence you develop from participating in the debate team can make it easier for you to make the right choices.  You will know you do not have to follow the crowd, or engage in behaviors that are not in your best interest.

When debate is included in your education, it can also help your social life.  As socializing is an important part of the college experience, self-confidence can help you make friends.  When you are self-assured, you will be the kind of person other students will like.

You Can Become Goal-Oriented From Your Debate Team Experiences

Even if you are still in high school, gaining the most from your education requires you to be goal-oriented.  When you practice for a debate, you will have goals in mind.  When you know what you want to accomplish, it is the first step toward accomplishing the goal.  This is a habit you can carry with you into college, and into your future.

Debate Makes Education Fun

While debate is serious, it is something you will enjoy.  From learning about new topics to interacting with other students, it will be an enjoyable part of your overall education.

However, you will also find an activity can be fun and serious at the same time.  While you will take many classes and participate in other activities in high school, the debate team is one in which you will have a good time.

Your education is your foundation for the future.  Nearly every decision you make today will affect your future in some way.  When you are planning the courses you will take, and the extra-curricular activities you want to participate in, make sure the debate team is on your list.

The debate team can provide a head-start to a successful career.  It can benefit you throughout your college years, and when you enter the workforce.  Equally important, it is something you will thoroughly enjoy.  It can provide many benefits and opportunities that you cannot afford to miss.  The debate team should definitely be part of your high school plans.

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Author Bio

Ryan Ayers is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to education. In this article, he describes the benefits of being involved with a debate team and aims to encourage further study with a Champlain College Masters in Criminal Law.

academics, Sponsored posts

How to prepare for college level language courses

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language coursesLearning foreign languages is an exciting challenge that opens up a world of possibilities. Students who wish to explore other countries during summer vacations should definitely try to learn a language or two to get the most out of the experience. Fresh graduates will find it quite helpful to be multi-lingual, especially during their job hunting. Lots of positions nowadays require proficiency in a second language.

Spanish is spoken by millions of people in the US, South America, Europe, and the rest of the world. It’s a great choice for college students who are looking to expand their education. It is extremely useful yet not as difficult as others such as Greek or Japanese. Here are some ideas on how to prepare for college level language classes:

Check Out the Books at the Library

The school library should have plenty of books and other resources that can help in the study of languages. The most important one is the professor’s preferred textbook for class as it will contain the specific examples that will be discussed. It is essential to have a copy of it when getting ready for recitations. However, students should not limit themselves to this alone. Look for other reading materials that use different techniques in teaching Spanish. They might clarify concepts that are unclear in other sources. Hunt for English-to-Spanish dictionaries, light Spanish novels, and the like.

Bookmark Online Resources

The Internet is rich filled with educational materials. Anyone can find them after a few minutes with a capable search engine. Bookmark these resources so that they can be retrieved quickly when needed. Students who are planning to get foreign language credits can read these in advance. Doing so will allow them to breeze through the lessons in class and impress their peers. Many of these are free such as Wikiversity’s language courses, Qué Onda Spanish’s fun word games, and Spanish-Resource’s innovative learning platform. Online translators will be useful as well.

Install Helpful Mobile Applications

Nearly everyone is glued to a phone all day so why not install a Spanish app to make it a learning tool? Mobile developers have come up with a variety of applications that aid language learners with their studies. These include dictionaries, phrasebooks, basic lessons, vocabulary builders, translators and games. Some of these can be set to notify the user that it’s time for a certain lesson. This is effective in cultivating consistency, which has been found to be the key in boosting retention. More established software brands are also available for desktop and laptop computers.

Listen to Audio Recordings

Audio tapes have been a staple of language learning for a long while. These allow learners to get a good grasp of the sounds so that a foreign language soon comes across as quite natural to the ear. The companies behind these tapes can approach the lessons quite differently. Some focus on providing instructions in a very organized manner. Others make their tapes more conversational and spontaneous. The rest offer a mixture of these schools of thought. The best approach is a matter of personal preference. The only way to know is to try and fortunately most have samples on their official websites.

Watch Foreign Language Films

Make learning more enjoyable by watching foreign language films at every opportunity. There should be plenty of Spanish movies for rent on DVD and online streaming services. Try to find copies that have the original audio with subtitles. This can be distracting at first but stick with it and the patience will be rewarded. It’s a fantastic way to learn more about language and culture — two things that are truly inseparable.

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Author Bio

Fred Johnson is a writer and blogger who focuses on the areas of education and language. This article helps students prepare for university language classes and promotes language comprehension tools such as those at http://spanish-resources.com/

 

campus security, Sponsored posts

Campus safety tips for new students on campus

 

campus safetyCollege students have enough to think about as they set off on the road to higher education. However, in addition to classes and socializing, students have to think about all aspects of their safety. This includes physical safety as well as other forms of security. College students can take a few proactive steps to help reduce the chances that they will fall victim to a crime by following these campus safety tips.

Learn About Campus Security

One of the first things college students need to do is find out about what types of services campus security offers. For instance, some security services may include escort services during the evening while some campuses even provide safe ride services. Of course, knowing when campus security patrols the area can also help when making plans to leave and enter various areas of campus that appear less safe than others. This can also help with getting access to buildings after hours for those who work with student functions.

Many campuses will also include other services such as sending student alerts to crimes in the area. Many may send alerts to email addresses, but some allow students to receive text messages for more immediate alerts. It is also a good idea to find out if campus security has a social media presence on sites such as Twitter or Facebook as well as a mobile app that can keep students updated on campus issues.

Learn the Campus

Learning about campus security also means learning about the campus itself. Most larger campuses take many steps to ensure the safety of students. For instance, many include lighted pathways for students. It is also a good idea to learn layouts within buildings to check for emergency exits in case of fire and other emergencies that can occur at unexpected moments.

Protect the Digital Footprint

These days, it is also very important for students to protect themselves online. Many people use online platforms such as social media to harass and stalk others because they believe they are anonymous. Unfortunately, many times the authorities will not act on such instances until they have reached advanced stages, so students need to be careful about how much and what kind of information they share about themselves online.

Students also need to protect themselves in other ways when it comes to using their online technology. Information can be stolen from laptops, smartphones and other mobile devices, so students should lock them and secure them in other ways so that unauthorized persons cannot steal their personal information. This also means protecting passwords by changing them every once in a while and making sure they are not obvious passwords such as the names of pets, family members or friends.

Be Proactive

Of course, students can also take a few proactive steps to help prevent them from falling victim to a crime. Students should plan accordingly when they know they will be on campus late so that they can make arrangements and have someone walk with them back to dorms or apartments. They should also make sure cell phones or smartphones are charged and have emergency numbers programmed into them in case of an emergency.

While it is important to focus on the educational aspects of the college experience, it is also very important to make sure college students keep themselves safe during their tenure. Students need to know how to navigate their way around campus. They also need to know what types of help they can expect from campus security resources. These days, students also need to know how to protect themselves online to prevent a number of cyber crimes including harassment and identity theft.

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Author Bio

Sarah Daren is a writer who creates informative articles relating to the field of health. In this article, she offers safety tips to new university students and aims to encourage further study with an Emergency Management Masters Degree.

Uncategorized, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: College prep and holiday stress

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Sign up for my FREE parent tips email and get my FREE Ebook on college financing! Or subscribe to my blog on the left and get email updates.

Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from pocsmom.com to parentingforcollege and vice versa.

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holiday stressIn the Charlie Brown Christmas, a song rings out, “Christmas is time is here; happiness and cheer”. If only. Unfortunately, the holidays for most are anything but cheerful. We have replaced holiday cheer and happiness with stress. And if you’re a parent of a college-bound teen, add all the tasks involved during school breaks and your holiday stress goes through the roof.

Add to the stress of the holidays and the entire family could combust. Never fear…help is here! Here are 3 tips about stress and how to deal with it.

Mom-Approved Tips: Stop stressing about college rejections

It’s that time of year. As the New Year approaches and regular admission dates loom in the very close future, parents begin stressing about college rejection. Although not as much as their kids do. Probably the most stressful time of senior year is waiting to hear from the colleges and dreading the wrong response. Why does this happen and what has caused everyone to be so stressed?

Mom-Approved Tips: 6 Stressful college tasks (and how to keep from freaking out)

It’s no surprise the middle name of college-bound teens is “stress”. According to a recent survey, 76 percent of college-bound students say they are stressed. If you live with one, you’re stressed too; and not just you, but your family as well. Granted, there are plenty of reasons to be stressed. And plenty of reasons why it’s impossible to avoid feeling stress (try as you might).

Wednesday’s Parent: 5 Tips to help with application stress

There is no greater stress than application stress. Every component breeds stress: standardized tests, GPAs, the essay, and even the recommendation letters. It’s no wonder students are feeling the stress when they start the application process. As a parent, it’s difficult for you to watch the stress levels increase as it gets closer to application time. And when stress levels increase with your student, the family stress goes up as well.

Need more tips? Head over to Wendy’s blog and read: 7 Holiday Stressbusters

financial aid

Top 5 posts about financing college

 

financing collegeWith all the content on my blog, it’s easy to miss the posts that you want to see the most. In today’s post I’ve compiled a short list of my top five posts about financing college.

Mom-Approved Tips: Talking to your teens about financing college

As their parent, it’s up to you to make sure they don’t fall prey to debt that they cannot repay after graduation. Before they ever accept an offer of admission, you need to talk to them about financing college. In my Parents Countdown to College Crash Course I call it “the money talk”.

Financing college no matter what your income level

If you have kids, then chances are you’ve already thought about college affordability and how or if you’ll be able meet the expenses associated with higher education. But you shouldn’t allow the worry of college costs to consume your life.  There are many practical and successful ways to pay for college (without drowning in debt) no matter what your income level may be.

10 Ways to attend college for free (or almost free)

As students begin applying to colleges, and juniors begin narrowing down their college choices, consider that there are many options available that allow your student to attend college for free (or almost free), excluding expenses like books, fees, and possibly room and board. But free tuition is nothing to scoff at. Many of these colleges cost upwards of $100,000 for four years.

College savings plans

No matter where you are in the college prep process, saving, and knowing how and what to save can be difficult to understand. Depending on your situation and the amount of time you have to save, here are some excellent resources that will help you understand college savings plans.

Making college affordable

It’s a confusing process–figuring out how to pay for college. Not only is it stressful, but it’s overwhelming trying to understand all the ins and outs of everything to do with financing a college education. In two separate projects, two women are doing their part in making college affordable while graduating without debt or minimal debt.

admissions, college costs, college guidance, college planning, college transfer, mom approved tips

Mom-Approved Tips: Questions parents ask about college

 

Questions parents ask about collegeOver the years, parents have cornered me and asked me questions about the college admissions process and their college-bound teens. While those questions are varied, and sometimes specific as they relate to their own circumstances, parents undoubtedly have questions about the college prep process and beyond. Following are some of the most common questions parents ask about college.

About choosing a college

How many colleges do you think my teen should apply to?

Here’s a good formula: 3 reach colleges (colleges that might be a reach but still attainable), 4 good fit colleges (colleges that are a good match for the student), 3 safety colleges (colleges that the student will be at the top of the applicant pool). Having choices also means the colleges are in competition, which translates into negotiation for you with the financial aid package.

What’s the most important tip you could give me about the college admissions process?

Find those “perfect fit” colleges. Do the research and evaluate choices based on student body, academic programs, college visits, location and financial aid awards. If the college is a good fit, they will value the student for his/her contribution to the student body. Those are the colleges you want in your application pool.

About financial aid

Should I fill out the FAFSA even though I think we make too much money to qualify for financial aid?

YES. YES. YES. The FAFSA is what colleges use to determine your EFC (Expected Family Contribution) which is used to determine the financial aid package. This package is NOT just federal aid. It’s composed of grants, scholarships and loans (much of which is merit-aid directly from the colleges themselves). If you don’t fill it out, your teen can’t get ANY of that money.

We can’t afford to pay for college, does that mean our teen won’t be able to go?

There are all kinds of ways to finance a college education: student loans, work-study, college grants and scholarships. Everyone qualifies for parent and student loans. But be wise about your borrowing and consider the best options. Paul Hemphill with Pre College Prep has come up with a GREAT way to attend college on the cheap!

About SAT scores

My teen’s SAT scores aren’t that great; will it affect their admissions chances?

The bottom line is that most colleges do look at those SAT scores. But, it’s just part of the overall picture. The best advice I can give is MAKE CONTACT with an admissions representative from EVERY college your teen is applying to. This PERSONAL contact can and will make a difference when the admissions application is reviewed. Do this by visiting and making an appointment to speak with them. Then hang on to their card and stay in contact until acceptance letters arrive.

About organization

My teen is so scatter-brained and we keep missing deadlines–how can I help them get organized?

Set up a landing zone for college material. Use a desk, a file cabinet, a bulletin board, and a wall calendar to keep track of deadlines. Start this freshman year and remind them that their floor is NOT the landing zone. Once they get used to bringing everything to that one spot, it will be easier to find, file and locate all the college related materials.

About dealing with rejection

What do you do when your student is rejected? How do you handle your feelings? How do you handle your student’s feelings?

When it arrives you may want to try and spin it into a positive. Resist that temptation. It’s upsetting to both you and your student. Allow some time to display the emotions related to the disappointment and the feelings of rejection. It’s only natural to feel them and it certainly hasn’t been the first or the last time your student will be disappointed. Parents take these letters personally. How dare they reject MY child! Our disappointment can often overshadow the feelings our student has. Be careful and don’t project your disappointment on to your student. He/she feels bad enough already; the last thing they need to feel is that they disappointed their parents by not getting accepted.

Every student reacts differently. Some might shrug it off (to your surprise) and others might see this as the end of their world as they know it. The hardest part of this whole college process is dealing with disappointment and rejection. All the truisms in the world won’t help at this moment. Hold them, hug them, and let them know that you feel their pain. Don’t spout off truisms like “it will be ok” or “you don’t want to go there if they don’t want you.” Your student needs the time to deal with their disappointment and move on.

Once the time has passed and your student is able to be objective, use this as a life lesson. Remind them that there is a place for them and that there is a college where they will feel wanted and accepted. Point out that life is filled with disappointments that often turn into opportunities and you never know what lies ahead on the path you might not have originally chosen.

Every child faces disappointment and rejection throughout their life and a parent’s goal should be to help them face those hurtful times with love and perspective.

About college discontent

What do I do when my student wants to drop out of college or talks about transferring during the first semester?

Before you say anything listen to their reasons. Don’t scream and yell, listen. Your student is upset and needs to voice how they feel. It may not be logical or even feasible, but they need to vent and you need to listen. Stay calm and approach this by treating them as an adult. Use reasoning first and see if that helps. Most freshmen get immediately homesick, especially if they don’t get along with their new roommate or their coursework is overwhelming them. Usually by the end of the first semester they have settled in and have made some friends. Usually.

There may be very good financial reasons for them to stick it out and then re-evaluate at the end of the first year. It’s rare that your student will use finances as an excuse to transfer, but if they do, be prepared to answer with a logical explanation.

Is there a friend or a boyfriend encouraging them to move back home or join them where they are? This is the worst reason. Help them to understand that they made the choice to leave and it’s time for them to move on with their life. Holding on to the past will only cause them to miss the benefits of the future. They may be adults but you, almost always, hold the purse strings.

In most cases, you should stand your ground—at least until the end of the first year. Tell your student that if he/she still feels the same way at the end of the year you can revisit the option. It’s my experience that most students, later in life, thank their parents for giving them some tough love when they needed it.

I’m not saying it’s easy to listen to their pain and not act. And in some instances their mental health is much more important than drawing a line in the sand. But you know your child and you will know when they are just too unhappy and miserable to remain where they are. In some cases, they just chose the wrong school.

Scholarship Friday, scholarships

Scholarship Friday: Scholarships for special groups

 

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This week I would like to do a recap of some previous posts about college scholarships for special groups. If your college-bound teen fits into any of these groups these posts should help you find scholarships.

college scholarshipsScholarships for military dependents

Are you or your spouse in the military? Do you have a family member that was a veteran of a foreign war? If so, there are scholarships available in these specific categories.

Follow this link for all the information related to these scholarships.

Scholarships for homeschoolers

More than 2 million students per year are home schooled in the United States and the numbers increase every year. While there’s a lot of sacrifice going into providing that first rate education one thing homeschoolers don’t have to sacrifice is a college education.

While most scholarships don’t specifically exclude homeschoolers from applying, more and more are specifically including and even encouraging homeschoolers to apply. This may have something to do with the widely publicized studies revealing that homeschoolers have consistently scored higher on college entrance exams than their public school counterparts for the last eight years.

Follow this link for some options for homeschoolers.

Scholarships for the learning disabled

If you have a college-bound teen who is learning disabled, you will be happy to know that there are specific scholarships set aside for these type of students.

Follow this link to discover scholarships for learning disabled students.

Scholarships: JROTC and FFA

Searching for scholarships can be overwhelming, especially if you don’t know where to look; or in this case, how to plan. Sometimes planning for scholarship opportunities takes a little foresight and preparation, but the benefits and the rewards definitely pay off. JROTC (Junior ROTC) and FFA (Future Farmers of America) provide scholarships.

Follow this link to learn about scholarships for these two groups.

Scholarships for families touched by cancer

Families dealing with cancer have astronomical medical expenses, often continuing after the patient is cured and in remission. Today’s post offers some organizations that offer scholarships to cancer survivors and their families.

Follow this link for an extensive list of available scholarships.

 

how to, parenting

How to provide parental support

 

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parental supportSocial support of any kind is crucial when you are going through a new and challenging (and exciting!) experience. The college experience is one of the most stressful, especially in the first year when students are still figuring out how to navigate the world on their own. Parents can play a huge role in their child’s success in college, and throughout their education. Parental support and wisdom helps in countless ways. Not only does your support help motivate and get them through this new experience, it also helps the both of you grow.

Motivation and Focus

Being there for your college student shows him or her that you care about what they are doing. It demonstrates that someone, one of the most important people in their lives no less, believes in them. That does wonders for motivation, particularly when the task at hand it a difficult one. It helps cement the idea that all their efforts are worthwhile.

Adjusting to the “Real World”

Your kids may have reluctantly listened, or avoided listening, to your stories and advice while in high school. Now that they are out of the house and dealing with things on their own, they are much more likely to appreciate hearing your take on a matter. They can learn so much from your life experiences and typically know they don’t have to be embarrassed or ashamed to ask for your help.

Easing the “real world” stress, whether it is financial or emotional, will help them get through this challenging time and ultimately find success in school. They are faced with several new responsibilities all at once – paying bills, managing their time, making all their meals, and so on. Of course you shouldn’t do anything for them, but pointing them in the right direction or sending a care package will go a long way.

You Both Grow

Your roles are changing. This experience gives you a chance to grow into friends. It is an opportunity to see each other in a different light. You are learning to trust and ease control. You are taking on a supportive role and letting them take charge of their own life. Your college student is developing their own identity separate from you. They are learning how to effectively handle responsibilities and how to solve their problems on their own.

Being there will show them that their life won’t fall apart when things get tough. They can still rely on you. But there is a limit. Don’t let them take advantage of you – that won’t help anyone. And never coddle. As much as you may want to protect them from the harshness of the world, let them take the lead.

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Author Bio:

Haley Coffman is a recent college grad at the age of 31. The road to her degree was a long and windy one, but she made it! She now enjoys working with eDegree, helping students (and their parents) navigate through their own college career.

parenting, Uncategorized, Wednesdays parent

Wednesday’s Parent: Pushing Buttons

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Sign up for my FREE parent tips email and get my FREE Ebook on college financing! Or subscribe to my blog on the left and get email updates.

Wednesday’s child may be full of woe but Wednesday’s Parent can substitute action for anxiety. Each Wednesday Wendy and I will provide parent tips to get and keep your student on the college track. It’s never too late or too early to start!

Wednesday’s Parent will give twice the info and double the blog posts on critical parenting issues by clicking on the link at the end of the article from pocsmom.com to parentingforcollege and vice versa.

_______________________________

pushing buttonsKids, especially teens, know exactly how to push your buttons. It might be back talk, or constant complaining or eye-rolling, but whatever the behavior, nearly every parent will experience the tactic of pushing buttons.

Instead of giving my own advice on this topic, I’ve taken from two sources that should help you see both sides of the coin and perhaps help you deal with this inevitable conflict.

Top 10 Teenager Button Pushing Tactics (from AlternativetoCounseling.com)

1. “You never let me do anything.”

This statement invites the parents to point out specific times that they have let the teenager do what he or she wanted. This forces the parent off the real issue at that moment and gives the adolescent the upper hand in the discussion.

2. “You don’t love me.”

This statement is intended to induce guilt and make the parents question their self-worth. Unfortunately, many parents take this bait instead of recognizing that asking the adolescent to do something they do not like had nothing to do with love.

3. “I hate you” or “You’re a liar/bad parent”.

These statements are meant to get the parents to lose their tempers through personal character attacks. This clouds the parents’ thought process and limits their ability to effectively enforce consequences.

4. “You’re not my real mother/father. I don’t have to listen to you.”

This statement really unnerves stepparents but rarely is about the parent not being a biological one. It is merely another tactic designed to get the parent flustered and angry so that the real issue is not addressed..

5. A disgusted look, improper gesture or whiny voice.

Body language, gestures and tone of voice are some of the most powerful tools an adolescent may use to play with someone’s emotions. Unfortunately, if the parents respond to these barbs by losing control of their emotion, it gives the adolescent a great deal of power as he or she now knows how to get under his parent’s skins.

6. Finding you most vulnerable area and preying on it.

Adolescents have an uncanny ability to find the areas that bug each parent the most and apply pressure to that area. For example, some adolescents will intentionally keep their room messy because of their mothers’ emphasis on cleanliness. Again, this behavior is not a personal attack but just clever way of throwing the parent off balance.

7. “I’m gonna kill/hurt you/myself/others.”

These statements are meant to scare the parents so that they will back off and remove pressure from the adolescent. Teenagers usually use threats of violence as a last resort when nothing else had worked.

8. “I’m gonna lie, lie, lie.”

Lying is a pet peeve of most parents and one the teenager knows will get them to emotionally lose control so that he can win, win, win. Parents do not like lying and will often lose control of their emotions quickly when they catch the teenager in a lie.

9. “I hate school.”

Most parents value education so this statement invites a lecture on how the teenager is throwing away his future. Teenagers normally cannot see past tomorrow so they do not see failing school as a problem in the immediate future. However, they do know that education is important to the parent and how to use it to their advantage.

10. “I’m going to leave/run away.”

This statement gets parents to back off from exerting their authority because they fear what might happen if the adolescent runs away and is living on the streets. Adolescents know this and use this statement as an effective tool to paralyze their parents from taking action or enforcing a rule or consequence.

7 Ways parents push adolescents’ buttons (from BridgeYouth.org)

1. Preaching or Using Clichés

It is easy to want to use your own experiences as examples when talking to your kids. However, this will cause them to shut down. Phrases such as, “when I was your age” or “if all your friends jumped off a cliff…” should be avoided.

 2. Talking in Chapters

Try to keep your responses to your child brief. If they ask if they should do something, reply with ‘yes’. If you follow up with more statements, they may become angry or tune you out.

 3. Labeling 

Saying that your adolescent “always” does something can be dangerous. If you say your child is always late, it becomes a self-fulfilling prophecy.

 4. Futurizing

“Futurizing” is when you talk about your adolescent’s future in a negative context. Examples include, “you’ll never go to college” or “you won’t be able to get a job with that attitude”.

 5. Instant Problem Solving 

Adolescents do not want you to solve their problems! Although it is natural to want to help out your teenager.  Often times they just want you to listen and understand.

6. Questioning the Teenager’s Restlessness and Discontent

Parents make the situation worse when they ask their teen unanswerable questions such as, “What is the matter with you?” or “What’s gotten into you?”. Teenagers are often restless and unhappy for no reason at all-it’s part of being a teenager. Try to accept the behavior in a supporting way unless it extends over a long period of time.

7. Not Tolerating Experimental Behavior

Tolerating behavior and accepting behavior are two totally different things. As your teen struggles to find their identity, they may experiment with various hairstyles and clothing. Express your disapproval once and then let it drop. If you continue to express your unhappiness, a power struggle may develop leading them to rebel even further. Save your energy for the bigger battles.

8. Collecting Criticism

Even though it may seem like your child does not care about your opinion, they do. Parents’ insults and criticism cut deeper and might take years to heal. Avoid rehashing past events or keeping a “mental scorecard” on past behavior problems. Focus of what is occurring in the present.

Admit it, you’ve either experienced those manipulative teen tactics, or you’ve dished out some of your own. Recognizing them should help with future button pushing. Or at the very least, you won’t feel like you’re the only one!

Check out Wendy’s blog: Button pusher’s resistance guide to parenting

Sponsored posts

Spotlight on College Pro–Training tomorrow’s leaders

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leadership

Leadership is not easy to teach; in fact some will say it can’t truly be taught at all. College Pro not only believes in the power of leadership, but that it can be learned in the process of training for, and then running, a business. “We subscribe to the idea of ‘learning by doing’ in a very real way,” explains Tony Valle, CEO of College Pro. “Our program is not theory, it’s reality. It’s based on coaching and teaching the skills required to not just run a business, but to grow a successful one. And that includes key skills like leadership and teamwork. Leadership helps the individual and motivates the team to be its best, so it’s a win-win for the business as a whole as well.”

Entrepreneurs are sometimes thought of as go-it-alone people who reluctantly engage teams for their business only when absolutely necessary. That model is changing significantly, though, as more and more entrepreneurs recognize that teamwork – and the ability to lead a team – are essential to driving a successful business. A strong, collaborative team brings complementary skills to the table, enabling ideas and solutions to emerge that can help the company, often in unanticipated ways. Leadership ability is also among the attributes today’s employers seek when looking to hire new graduates; all the more reason to develop and hone these skills.

The College Pro program content echoes that of most business school curricula. In addition to leadership training, the program covers sales and marketing, employee management, financial planning and management, and more. In what has sometimes been called a “real world MBA”, these skills are then applied to running a College Pro franchise offering painting or window cleaning services.

Match your classroom education with real-world practical application by taking advantage of valuable work and internship opportunities. Programs like these are a great way to enhance your skill and experience level without having to comprise your academic or recreational activities.

“Whether you’re striking out on your own or joining an established company, leadership is among the most valuable skills to have,” Valle added. “The people who go through our program have the opportunity for tremendous professional and personal growth that will benefit them now and far into the future.”

 

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About College Pro:  College Pro has helped thousands of young entrepreneurs realize their dream of becoming small business owners over the years, and we have also been a very strong presence in the communities in which we serve, coming together to donate our time and do something good for communities across North America through a variety of local and national initiatives.  Since 2004 alone, our Alternative Spring Break events have taken place in Oklahoma City, Denver, Spokane, Tampa, New Orleans, Nashville, Bend, Pueblo, Louisville, Philadelphia and Kansas City, providing over $1,000,000 in services, equipment and materials.  We strongly believe in partnering with community organizations that strive to improve the communities in which they serve.