Parents’ Harsh Words Might Make Teen Behaviors Worse

According to a study by the University of Pittsburgh,

The parents who used more harsh words when the child was 13 were more likely to see increases in their teenager’s conduct problems when asked again a year later. And the children who faced high levels of harsh verbal discipline were more likely to have symptoms of depression at age 14.

Three conversations for parents: navigating networked publics [Article]

This short article is probably more suited for parents of young children:  Microsoft researcher Dana Boyd has some advice for parents who are struggling with their children’s use of social media: she reminds us that the advice that children need to negotiate networked publics parallels advice that parents have always given when their children encounter public spaces. The networked society that we live in today may feel radically different, but many youth are struggling with the things they’ve always struggled with.They’re trying to figure out who they are and how they fit into the bigger world. They want to hang out with friends, but they’re also trying to figure out the status games of their peers.

Being the parents of a 16 year old hero..

Jessica Watson, the Queenslander, reached home soil yesterday, to a loud cheery welcome after a 210-day round the world trip. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was there, along with NSW Premier Kristina Kenneally, to welcome her back, besides her proud parents & 3 siblings. Read about it here.

Rudd called her Australia’s newest hero – something she quickly cast aside – “

“I’m an ordinary girl who believed in a dream…,” she said. “You just have to have a dream, believe in it and work hard.”.

It takes a tremendous amount of courage to follow your dream. It takes even more courage for the parents of a 16-year-old girl who wants not to go round the block, but round the world, alone, on water, in a sailboat, without any power, to let her go. I’m impressed, & dare I say, inspired by Julie & Roger Watson.

Why do we, (myself included) – be the obstacles for our children in following their dreams? We may have failed to follow our dreams – call it circumstance or destiny or fear – or whatever. & then, when our children want to follow their, we try to “protect” them from failure.

Food for thought?