IT’S SO DIFFERENT!!!

IT’S SO DIFFERENT!!!

Today’s teens live in a different world than their parents.  They have SO many more options and opportunities than we did.  And we certainly wouldn’t want to take those away. HOWEVER, that has led to more time pressures than any other segment of society, probably including mothers of newborns or infants. 

So what can you do, what can they do?

In fact, it presents a great opportunity for two things: (o) thinking, and (o) decision-making.

I saw a great quote: “You can do anything, but you just can’t do everything.”

So encouraging your teen to THINK, weigh the alternatives, look at the upside of choosing one thing and the downside of another is a powerful, adult-like step.

Ask your teen to lay out, list, identify the pro’s and con’s of a choice, [gently] add your own, then discuss.  In most cases, let them make their decision. [DON’T BE A HELICOPTER PARENT – if you do, you’re preventing and preempting their growth.]

And BTW – one of those decisions may be how to manage their time better than before!

There are also a couple things to do after the fact, after the decision:

discuss the choice, what s/he LEARNED from it, how they might approach a similar situation ‘next time.’

I’ve always disliked applying the sports term “sudden death” to our lives.  Except for actual death, almost everything can be re-done. “Oops, missed!  Try again!” [although if you hear your surgeon say that, get up off the operating table and RUN!]

As in EVERY element of life, we make our choices – and our choices make us.  [teach your teen:] DECIDE, LEARN, REFLECT, MOVE AHEAD!