ONLINE PARENTING COACH

"Mark, My 17-year-old daughter has started smoking. Any suggestions on what I can do to get her to stop? Thanks, T." ```````````````````` Hi T., Young people start smoking for many reasons -- to act older, to be independent, to fit in, to relieve stress, to rebel against adults and sometimes to be like their parents. You should talk with your teen about the dangers of smoking: Smoking is the leading preventable cause of death in the United States. Nicotine is an addictive drug found in cigarettes. Approximately 80 percent of adult smokers started smoking before the age of 18. Most teens can buy cigarettes even though it is illegal to sell them to minors in all 50 states. Spit tobacco (chew) is not a safe alternative to smoking. Regular use of spit tobacco can cause cancer of the cheek, gums, ...

Mark- Have you heard of adults having Aspergers. My son has been diagnosed, and it seems that I have some of the same problems. Concerned father, J. ````````````````` Hi J., As more and more doctors and society in general understands more about Aspergers syndrome, the condition is being diagnosed in adults as well as children. Sometimes the diagnosis doesn’t come out in adults until their own child is diagnosed with an Autism Spectrum Disorder. Typical symptoms associated with Aspergers syndrome in adults include having an average or above average intelligence, having difficulty thinking abstractly, showing difficulty empathizing with others, having poor conversational ability, and having difficulty controlling their feelings. They also tend to adhere strongly to routines and schedules, show some inappropriate social behaviors and tend to specialize in specific fields or hobbies. Adults with Aspergers syndrome often cannot clearly understand the emotions of others. They may miss the su...

Dear Mark............many thanks for the My Out-of-Control Child download and information on Teen Incentive Contracts. My wife, teen son, and I are making progress and are beginning to see improved changes in all of us. This information has answered many of the " yes, but how " questions that we have had. Our son's behavior is improving at home but his behavior at Junior High seems to be getting worse -- e.g. more tardies, talking back to teachers, not studying during advisory period, etc. The consequence for these incidents is generally an after-school detention. Please advise if there should be a natural consequence at home as well considering that my wife or I must then pick up our son because he can't take the bus home? Many thanks...............J. ````````````````````` Hi J., You've mentioned 2 issues: ==> behavior problems at school ==> his behavior then is an inconvenience for you Re: after-school detention. This is his consequence. I wouldn't ...