Family Relationships

Many of us know how to monitor the physical health of our teen. We can recognize when they’re sick and have the calendar marked for routine medical and dental appointments. Understanding a teen’s mental health, however, can sometimes not be as clear cut. But with the increase in teen depression, it’s especially important. A Chicago […]

As a parent, you might feel like your teen is constantly leaving messes for you to clean up – dishes on the kitchen table, dirty laundry in the bedroom, towels on the bathroom floor. And maybe this “bad” behavior extends beyond household chores. Sometimes it can feel like your teen is looking for ways to […]

Having honest conversations with teens about things like drugs and alcohol can be difficult but, talking about these topics has been proven to help destigmatize and prevent abuse. How, as a parent, can you foster these conversations at home without making it awkward, ineffective, or unintentionally encouraging the same things you want to prevent for […]

Every month, we keep you informed on the latest studies and research on teen development in our “Not My Teen” blog series. Today, we’re looking at a Washington Post article which shows parents how help teens navigate dating and breaking up. Every parent of a teen or tween anxiously awaits (dreads) the day their child […]

Adolescence is a time of fast and sometimes messy development. Some teens experience their emotions as agitation and pessimism, even sometimes using hurtful language. It can be difficult when a well-meaning parent when they try to help their teen, only to be pushed away. Parents can become angry and frustrated, too. You love your child […]

As difficult as it is to feel distance from our teens as they spend more time hanging out with friends, this behavior may be a necessary part of life. While parents may feel ignored, teens are simply trying to grow up and begin the process of forming an identity, declaring independence, and achieving a sense […]