ONLINE PARENTING COACH

Raising adolescents is challenging, and naturally so. As they become increasingly autonomous, so too can they become somewhat more oppositional. However, dealing with adolescent defiance can be even more challenging for single mothers. The most difficult situation with defiance may be the following scenario: a single mom with a male adolescent - especially if she has more than one adolescent male and there aren’t any father-figures around!!! Some single parent statistics show the prevalence and challenges of single parenting in America: 23% of teens live with only a mother, 4% live with only a father, and 4% live with neither parent. 3% live with unmarried parents. About 40% of teenagers are born to unmarried mothers. Black teenagers are the most likely to be raised by a single mother, followed by Hispanic, then white teenagers. Teenagers living with only one parent have financial and educational disadvantages compared to teenagers with both parents, especially if their pare...

“My 17-year-old son thinks that just because it’s Christmas break he can come and go as he pleases and stay out as late as he wants. Any thoughts on how I can get him to comply with his curfew (which is 11:30 P.M.)?” Setting a curfew for an adolescent is one of those things that must be done carefully and enforced completely from the beginning. Being allowed to roam around with buddies is most definitely a privilege, and chances are if moms and dads aren’t remaining aware and informed at all times, their adolescent will get into some sort of trouble eventually. Parents would do well to set early curfews in the beginning. Having younger teens come home around 9:00 P.M. ensures that they are given freedom, but are also expected to be home at a reasonable hour. This not only allows you to get your rest, but also allows them to display their trustworthiness. As time progresses and your adolescent has adhered to curfews, you can begin to push it back by 30 minute increments. When...

We want our kids to develop respect for others. We want them to be honest, cooperative and responsible. The payoffs for encouraging a youngster to show respect are huge. Below are some tips for promoting a respectful attitude in your child (some of these tips may seem obvious – others may not): 1. Respect for money: Giving your youngster an allowance is a good way to help him respect and understand the value of money. But you must decide how much the allowance will be, taking into account your resources, your youngster's age, and what expenses the allowance will cover (e.g., lunches, clothes, church donations, entertainment, etc.). An allowance can help your child learn how to save and use money wisely. 2. Respect for sacrifice: If a youngster sees her mom and dad making sacrifices (e.g., "We're buying a used car so that we can save more money for a trip to Disneyland"), she picks up the cues. 3. Respect for sportsmanship: If you accept a loss on the basket...