Tips for Raising Happy, Healthy Teenagers

Mom and Happy Teenager

How to Raise Happy, Healthy Teenagers

by Abigail Clark

Successfully raising kids and transforming them into well-rounded, responsible, and productive members of society is no simple task. It takes years of careful guidance and patient teaching to raise kids who can care for themselves, standing on their own two feet. Most importantly, your goal is to raise them to be healthy and happy, above everything else. Here’s a look at some insightful tips on doing just that.

Remember the Big Picture

As easy as it is to get caught up in the test scores, dating debacles, moral conundrums, and attitude adjustments, remember what you’re working for. The overarching goal is for your kids to be happy, healthy, and productive members of society, and ultimately fend for themselves someday.

How to Parent a Child with Anxiety Issues

Parenting a Child with Anxiety Issues

Parenting Kids with Anxiety Issues

by Amy Egan

This past year I had a  few coaching sessions with a couple of two elementary aged kids.  Collin, a fifth grader and Cara, a second grader. Our first two visits we spent mostly working on  new, more effective parenting skills when handling Collin.  He was a pretty good-natured boy but his parents had typical tweenaged frustrations with him.  He was a little disrespectful, a little argumentative and tended to pull them into power struggles.  They were becoming beaten down by these things – but more than that, concerned about his anxiety level. Collin was a very anxious boy.

We mostly developed plans for handling his disrespect and the power struggles.  After reading suggested materials and a couple of coaching sessions,  they began to do the following on a consistent basis.

Forgive Yourself; You are a Great Parent

Forgive yourself; you are a great parent

Learn to Forgive Yourself

by Amy Egan

As a parenting coach I often notice that when a parent or couple first meet with me, they have such guilt that things are less than perfect in their homes.  The fact that they yell, are angry with their children, or can’t figure out how to make things more peaceful – makes them feel like failures.  I have empathy for them because I can relate.  For many of us, being a great parent is the most important thing in our lives. Therefore, when we feel frustrated with parenting it is easy to get down on ourselves for not getting it right.