Welcome to episode Show #34

In just a few short months thousands of students will go off to college. Some for the first time and thousands more as returning students. This can be a very stressful and difficult time for both the teens and the parents.

This week I am replaying an interview I did with my oldest daughter, Shayna, who is a student at Florida A&M. We talk about making the freshman transition from family life to dorm life and how parents and family can make moving away easier for the student.

Shayna also shares her thoughts about how parents can stay in touch with their student and why having a close relationship between parent and teen will make keeping in touch much easier.

Featured Resources For Parents

Schools Out: Plan For The Perfect Teen Summer: If you’re a parent to teens then you need to get in on this opportunity to plan the perfect summer for your teen.

My Out Of Control Teen: A online parent-program for those who are struggling with their out-of-control teenagers. learn cut-to-the-chase parenting strategies that work immediately rather than months or years down the road.

Send Your Child To College Free:  Or Close to it! — A money back guarantee. This is a guide for people who have a low to moderate income to a practically free college education, even if you have excessive credit card debt.

 

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Welcome to Episode # 33!

If you have a student who is in the midst of submitting college applications or even if your student is just starting high school, parents should NOT miss this very informative show about what attributes colleges are looking for in their applicants!

My guest this week is Suzanne Luse, a certified educational consultant from College Expert, and she helps us understand what role parents should play in the college application process, how to encourage your children to make decisions and take initiative when speaking to college representatives, and why your high school student should take four years of math and English classes.

Sue also has a Top 10 List of what colleges deem “most important” on a student’s application. Some of these things might surprise you!

Although Sue’s list is quite comprehensive and colleges are only admitting a fraction of their applicants, try not to put added pressure on your student. It is completely normal to apply to 7-10 colleges rather than 2-3 when we were their age.

If you have any additional questions for Sue or about college in general, please leave a comment below and I will find an answer for you!

 

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Vanessa Van Petten is the teen author of the parenting
book “You’re Grounded!” She writes a parenting blog from the kid’s perspective to help parents understand what is actually going on in the mind of kid’s today to make life a little bit easier. As a 22 year-old youth and parenting expert, her articles and advice have been featured in the Wall Street Journal, CBS 4, the World Journal, numerous radio shows and more. You can visit her here: http://www.OnTeensToday.com

Springtime is the popular season for high school proms. Every student has grand fantasies about prom night and some students start making plans before the snow has melted.

I talk with Vanessa about all the planning that is involved, from shopping for a dress or tuxedo to booking a limo and ordering flowers. She also shares the staggering calulations of how much a prom might cost you and creative ways to lessen those costs.

Part of the prom fantasy is what will happen after the prom. From after-prom parties to drinking, drugs and sex, if your teen wants to particpate in any of these vices, they WILL. Vanessa and I strongly encourage you to speak candidly with your teen about the dangers each of these things present and to help them make safe after-prom plans.

As independent as our teens want to appear, making plans for the prom can be overwhelming and emotional. Asking your teen if they need help negotiating prices or providing them with phone numbers and confirmation numbers can severly lessen their anxiety so they can have fun at the prom.

 

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Most of us have heard the “typical” teenager stories of hormonal or argumentative kids who rebel against their parents’ rules. They seem edgy and irritated at life or other family members and often it is difficult to say anything right without setting them off.

My guest this week is Gary Direnfeld, MSW, RSW, a social worker for 25 years, and he helps us understand that some teens may exhibit these behaviors as signs of depression. While it’s natural to sometimes feel blue or a little sad, depression is more serious and can present itself in many different ways.

Gary describes depression as a profound sadness that can overwhelm people or become incapacitating. Common symptoms include changes in appetite, changes in sleeping patterns, and appearing gloomy, upset, or distressed. However, some teens also appear frustrated, angry, or edgy on a regular basis.

Please listen in for Gary’s advice for determining if your teen is depressed and how to treat teen depression.

Gary also has a phenomenal resource website at http://www.yoursocialworker.com/, full of parenting resources, articles, and additional information.

 

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We’re talking about the hot topic of Teen Dating this week. My guest is Tricia Gardner from Timesaver VA and she asked a few important questions about her 15-year-old daughter and the issue of dating.

The number one mistake parents make is not meeting the boyfriend or girlfriend of their child. Very often it’s because the child fights the issue and is afraid their parents won’t like the boyfriend or they will get embarassed in front of a girlfriend.

Just because your child is now a teenager does not mean you should just willingly hand them over to a stranger, which is exactly what happens when parents do not meet the boyfriend. You need to trust that your child can make safe decisions but at the same time parents should know who their child is spending time with. A simple 10-minute visit can allow you to meet the boy or girlfriend and you can work up to longer visits as time goes on.

Another mistake parents often make is ignoring their child if he/she asks advice about birth control. If your child comes to you with this question, then congratulate yourself on having an open and safe relationship with your child! Even if you have to take a moment to gather your thoughts, ignoring the topic will not make the issue go away.

Many groups have varying thoughts on whether or not parents should allow their children to use birth control. Many oppose the idea based on religious beliefs and others oppose the idea because they believe it’s giving their child permission to have sex.

Studies have shown that if a teen wants to have sex, he or she will do so, with or without birth control. Putting your child on birth control will not give them permission to have sex but will keep them safe if they make that choice.

I’d love to hear your thoughts on this hot topic! Leave a comment below or call our Listeners’ Line at (214) 615-6505 ext. 4245

 

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