November 2008
Arm Your Teen With Questions to Help Recognize Peer Pressure
Make Sure Your Teen Attends School Regularly, Arrives on Time
Teach Your Teen Important Skills with a Little Fall Family Cleaning
Parent
Quiz - Helping Your Teen Get Plenty of Sleep
A Word From the Director
Is your teen too susceptible to peer
pressure? Does she do things she may not want to just because other
teens ask? Here are five questions she can ask herself:
þ Do I
often do something just because someone asks me to?
þ Do I
usually let my friends decide what we are going to do?
þ Do I
always call people to make sure I’m wearing the same thing they are?
þ Have
I ever gone along with something I
knew wasn’t right just to be with my friends?
þ Do I
sometimes drink, smoke or use drugs because “everybody” else does?
Even just one yes answer means your
teen is being negatively influenced by her friends. The answers to
these questions can help her become more aware of the peer pressure
she faces. Recognizing peer pressure is the first step to combating
it. Help your teen learn the skills she needs to say no to unhealthy
peer pressure.
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The older some kids get, the harder
it is to get them to go to school - and the more important going to
school becomes. When kids skip classes, they get behind and become
unmotivated because they don’t understand. To promote good school
attendance, be sure you:
Check your child’s attendance.
Call the teacher or the school if you suspect your teen may be
skipping school or classes. Review the attendance marked on your
child’s report card.
Make school attendance a priority.
Talk about it. Say why you think it’s important.
Set a good example.
Go to work - despite that headache. Don’t pull your child out of
school for pursuits of pleasure.
Provide incentives.
These can be weekend outings or
special time with you. Make sure they’re things your child views as
rewards.
Get involved.
Schools take students’ attendance very seriously. Volunteer to help
with the attendance program.
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Get your whole
family involved in cleaning and organizing your home to show your teen
that a clean house is everyone’s responsibility. Cleaning also teaches
your teen important skills she’ll need when she moves out on her own.
To make sure
your teen helps out and learns from the experience:
 Choose a day and time. Pick a day
when you know your teen is free.
Ask everyone to pitch in. Teens have
a strong sense of what is “fair.” Your teen will be less likely to
complain if she sees you and her siblings working.
Write a list of chores—and the
amount of time each one should take. If your teen spends 45 minutes
dusting her room when you know it takes 10, you know she’s goofing
off.
Give detailed instructions. “Clean
the kitchen” might mean “Wipe down the counters” to your teen. Let her
know everything that the job involves, such as washing the floors,
emptying out the refrigerator and organizing the pantry.
Reward
yourselves for a job well done. Watch a movie as a family or take
everyone out for dessert. Thank your teen for her time.
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Although the
average teen needs nine hours of sleep, most teens get fewer than
seven hours each night. That means they are likely to be tired, crabby
and tough to live with. As a parent, are you doing all you can to
help your teen get enough sleep? Answer yes or no to each question:
___1. Do you
encourage your teen to go to bed earlier, instead of spending time
online or watching TV?
___2. Do you
help your teen adopt healthy habits? That means making sure he gets
exercise each day and doesn’t drink too much caffeine.
___3. Do you
limit your teen’s late-night activities?
___4. Do you
encourage “power naps?” Even a short afternoon nap can help him catch
up on sleep.
___5. Do you
help your teen manage time so he doesn’t have to stay up late the
night before a big project is due?
How well are you doing?
Each yes means
you are helping your teen get the rest he needs. For no answers, try
those ideas in the quiz.
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Greetings from PCN
This is the season of thanksgiving.
The list of people, moments and possession I count as gifts has grown
over the past year. Each person, moment or possession has a special
place of significance for me. I invite you to think of those people,
moments or possessions in your life that you value. We often do not
take the time to say “thank you” to those people that truly change our
lives for the better. The simple act of letting the people we value
know how important they are in our lives is important. Teaching our
children the art of expressing thanks is a gift we can teach that
lasts a lifetime. The following quote reminds each of us to take time
to say thank you. “Silent gratitude is not much use to anyone.” (By
G.B. Stern) Take time to talk with your family about the people who
make life better for each of you and remember to thank those who give
to each of us just for the joy of giving. As always call the PCN
office if you have any questions or are in need of a resource. Enjoy
your discussion and the information on our site. Thank you for being a
part of our PCN family.
Darcy
Jensen and the PCN Board
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