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Who says that
parents can’t be the difference in their teenagers’ lives?
If you’re looking for positive, practical ways to help your teen
become happy and successful, read ahead …
1. Help your teen
think big!
“There are two lasting bequests we can give
our children. One is roots. The other is wings.” --Hodding Carter
Is your kid the next Shakespeare? Does he scowl when the relatives say,
“So, you’re going to be a teacher” when he tells him
that he wants to major in English Literature while in college? Did you
ever imagine that he could become a greeting card writer/entrepreneur
and market a brand new line of humor cards toward the big-hearted but
less-than-poetic male species? He could build a media empire around a
brand like that! If he ever gets that idea or an idea like it into his
head, that is …
2. Encourage
your teen to have fun
“Getting there isn’t half the fun -
it’s all the fun.” --Robert Townsend
Between school, friends, extracurricular activities and trying to figure
out what to do with the rest of their lives, being a teenager is no easy
task. When I recently interviewed a 17-year-old for an article on school
pressure, I asked her, “What’s your greatest worry with regard
to grades?” She responded, “Probably my parents yelling at
me. I have to work up to their standards.”
Parents: Did you know that stress is the
number one impediment to academic success? If you want your child to excel
in school, encourage her to balance work with fun. Discourage her from
overloading her schedule with too many activities and take that free time
to relax. Read a book for pleasure, bike with friends or take the dog
and go for a walk. This idle time will allow your teen to go back to her
studies with renewed vigor and clarity. She’ll probably make some
great memories in the process, too.
3. Encourage
your teen to love learning
“I've never let my school interfere with
my education.” --Mark Twain
Any student who studies for hours to get straight A’s but doesn’t
really ask herself why she’s working so hard is really doing a huge
disservice to herself. Denise Clark Pope, author of Doing
School: How We Are Creating a Generation of Stressed-Out, Materialistic,
and Miseducated Students says that kids need to be put through a series
of reflective exercises that help them to look at the bigger picture.
Parents can certainly aid in this process. Advice: Try sitting down as
a family to answer questions like, “How do I define success?”
“What do I think makes for a happy life?” “What do I
want out of an education?” “What am I most proud of?”
While getting good grades is important, encouraging your child to try
new things and to take courses she really likes will go a long way in
instilling her with a lifelong love of learning. That alone will carry
her to success beyond her wildest dreams!
4. Allow your teen
to see you - flaws and all
“To bring up a child in the way he should
go, travel that way yourself once in a while.” --Josh Billings
Can you remember the last time you leapt before you looked? How good it
felt to meet a new challenge head on without your inner critic there to
spread some cynicism and talk you out of taking that one great chance?
We all get a few precious years when we’re young to be completely
fearless simply because we don’t know any better. Then our own perfectionism
prevents us from realizing true innovation. If you want your teen to ease
up on himself, show him the way. Take a deep breath, face your demons
and choose to ease up on yourself. Let your children see your flaws and,
more importantly, let them see that you can laugh at your flaws. Perhaps
the next time your teen faces a new challenge he’ll remember to
emulate his one great fearless role model … YOU!
About the author:
Maria Pascucci is the President of Campus Calm - the award-winning online-forum for today's stressed-out students, and their parents and educators. Download your Student Life Stress-Less Kit with 4 FREE gifts at www.campuscalm.com.
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