Family Relationships

Is your teen dating? Does your teen have a romantic interest in someone, and that interest is returned? That’s pretty much the most basic definition of “dating.” Romantic relationships are intensely important to teens, both for emotional and chemical reasons. Teens are experiencing rapid and startling brain changes, and their limbic systems (among other parts) […]

If you check the dictionary, discipline is about training a child to obey rules by using punishment to correct defiance. These days, we refer to punishment with the more benign expression “giving a child a consequence.” But consequences aren’t “given.” Consequences are the natural result of actions, the flow of cause and effect. If we […]

Parents fear peer pressure. Peer pressure is, we’re told, what pushes good kids into bad choices. We shake our heads about it, tell kids to resist it and generally hope our children are strong enough to withstand it. Parents look at their children’s friends, wondering who will exert the peer pressure and what it will […]

Anyone who remembers being a teenager can attest to the fact that it can be the most challenging time of your life. There are so many expectations – from your parents, peers and yourself – that it can be both overwhelming and discouraging. In this time of confusion and constant transition, teens often make mistakes. […]

It won’t take much convincing to get you to admit that being a teen isn’t easy. And it certainly isn’t easy being the parent of a teen! But why exactly is it so tough? Well, I definitely can’t address all of the reasons in one blog post, but I can suggest one: Teens are making […]

Bonnie Harris explains her philosophy below, and gives examples of how parents can use her techniques to foster strong relationships with their children. Laying solid groundwork when kids are younger sets parents and their children up for open lines of communication during adolescence, which can prevent teens from engaging in risky or dangerous behaviors. What […]