3 Rules to Making TeensTechnology Work For You

Isn't the technology of today is amazing?! Between the speed of Instant Messengers~ or IM'ing, the convince of cell phones, parenting has come a long way from when parents had to make three or four phone calls to track down their TWeen for the simplest request "Bring home some milk?" to the infamous, "Your late, couldn't you have called?"

These scenario's from not so long ago have all but died out with today's many wireless communication devices. No sooner does a new device come out,our kids seem to have it down These mini-adults who can't seem to remember to take out the trash or keep their rooms clean, yet have the intelligence and focus to create secret languages and codes around these devices.

With their objective being privacy and the benefit, or fun part is we don't understand one bit of it.

I have discovered the secret to win this battle; or at the very least, how to make it work for you vs, fighting the tide of neverending electronic toys& gadgets.That seem to come out faster then we can keep up with what's new & hot that our tween is craving.

Whether its cell phones, pagers, or the latest craze~ called a Blackberry,They all want one ~ and who doesn't?

Of course not that you go out and get them each one however thru another parent or a well meaning grandparent for say, perhaps as a graduation present. Once they have one, you can count on them eating, sleeping with it, doing everything but bathe with it, it will be their lifeline, or so it will seem... The only natural question seemed to me~

How can we best use these devices to assist us in our parenting? To support us in communicating better with our teens

1. Get their screen names, learn their email address, phone numbers etc...

The first thing you need to know is when it comes to the internet, Kids can get free accounts anywhere, all they need is the address they use with you, they just have to click back once and they are all set~ from there they can use that address, to register for many other free address services. The key to this is to simply tell your child it will be for emergencies and you don't need the password. I can't promise you they will give them all up, but enough to give you the ability to connect with them. They often use provactive names or numbers, don't act shocked when they tell you or better yet just ask them to write it for you and don't even give it a second glance

~ till they leave of course.

2. Learn how to connect with each device from your devices, program quick call features, put their names in your IM, and then actually practice sending them text messages.

This may seem like silly advice, however when & if a true emergency arises, you and your child will become proficient not only in using the skills, and having worked out faster out but you will also create a language of your own, with your own words and expressions, inside jokes, and more importantly, your own codes for emergencies. --

3. Learn how to use one device to connect to another, I have used my cell to IM a child who was home, online, tying up the phone in a family emergency, I was able to connect with him to clear the phone line and get the number to the specialist whose number was only in 1 spot - 45 miles away at home on the refrigerator, 2 FEET from my son. Had I not known how to connect I would have had to drive all that way home to get the number.

Perhaps this isn't a life saving example but I'm sure you can use it to imagine a situation where your child need's you, and it could be life or death.

I hope these three keys helped, If we can do anything to keep them closer to us,the better we can communicate with them in their own comfort zone the closer we can get to understanding them and more of the challenges that our kids face with today's technology.

Isn't the piece of mind you will have, worth this small investment?

Connie Carpenter is a Life, Family Coach who specializes in supporting parents with tweens. Having 4 children of her own the trials & errors of partenting are all to familar. Through a through assesments ,conversation we can determine the perfect personalized plan for your family. Learn the tools to not only restore your family dynamic, promote an effective communication stratagy, you'll also create a bond that will last a lifetime. Don't wait! Life is too short to not use every available reasource - visit http://promptcarecoaching.com and see what she can do for you!

---

10 Secrets To Know You?re A Good Working Parent To Your Kids!

How are parents to know they are doing the right thing for their children when they are working parents? Many parents feel guilty for the amount of time they are spending at work... Read More

Dads, Give them Household Chores

You have a chore to do around the house, and your kids want to help out. You know it might be nice for them to help, but you're feeling a bit impatient. And... Read More

Stress is No Kiddy Matter

Kids today no longer live the kind of privileged lives that we used to live as kids. This, I am absolutely sure of?.if there's nothing else in this world that I am confident... Read More

Guilty of Not Following Her Heart

Karen, a single never-married thirty-year old attorney has a four-year old daughter, whom she just picked up from her parents' home after another all-day affair in court.Like every Thursday, Karen took her daughter,... Read More

How To Foster An Environment For Successful Communications With Your Child

As parents, we strive to address all of the questions asked by our children. If we don't have the answer, or don't like the question, we would never think of ignoring the child.... Read More

Parenting - The Irrational Vocation

There are some grounds to assume that a cognitive dissonance is involved in feeling that children are more a satisfaction than a nuisance. Why do people bother with parenting? It is time consuming,... Read More

Inattentive ADHD: Just Like Winnie the Pooh

Winnie the Pooh is the classic picture of Inattentive ADHD. In other works we have called this "Space Cadet" style ADHD. These are people that suffer from "brain fog" as they go through... Read More

Get Down (On The Floor!) And Play With Your Children

When was the last time you and your kids rolled around on the floor together laughing yourselves silly? If you're like me, it may have been a while! Sometimes I get caught up... Read More

Awesome Dads Top Ten Ways To Be The Foundation of Your Family

Part of the responsibility of being a father is to establish a strong foundation for the family. Just like a building foundation, much of this work goes unseen and rarely gets acknowledged, yet... Read More

Nurtured by Love or Matured by Nature?

"There is nothing new under the sun," states Ecclesiastes 1:9. This is certainly true of the nature-nurture debate, the modern name for the ageless argument about the importance of learning in the development... Read More

Two Means Trouble

You have two kids who are 14 months apart. How cute, they look alot alike...are they twins? One is taller and more mature than the other, so that can't be.Two can be a... Read More

Coping with the Stress of Moving Home and Childrens Concerns

Moving house can be an emotional experience for adults, so imagine how much more unsettling it can be for children who don't really understand what's going on.There are many things to consider when... Read More

When Your Childs Adoption Story Changes: Nothing But the Facts or is It Nothing are the Facts?

Elana, born in Russia, was told "We really don't know why your birth family couldn't care for you.""Katie, adopted from China, cherishes an item from a birth parent: a red note that was... Read More

Influencing Adolescents - Guided Democracy

You need to smart to be able influence adolescents. You need to be able to stand back a little, hold your tongue and wait your turn to speak.Recently, Sam my seventeen year old... Read More

Top Ten Ways to Teach Values to Your Kids

In a consumer-driven society that broadcasts values you don't approve of, how can you teach values to your kids? Here are ten ideas to help you:1. Tell them your life stories and teach... Read More

Adoption: Laughter and Tears

If you ever walk through an orphanage, it will be an experience you'll never forget. Witnessing children in poverty, children discarded, children stunted both physically and emotionally, will stir your heart beyond belief.... Read More

Raising a Tobacco-Free Kid

We begin forming healthy habits at a young age. With all that we know about smoking, it is astounding that young people will still take that first puff of a cigarette just to... Read More

The Added Advantage In African American Childrens Education: Computer Homeschooling (Part 2)

We've got spirit, yes we do! We've got spirit how 'bout you!We left our parents and friends in our last article discussing the commitment it takes to homeschool african american children. In part... Read More

From Go Fast Kids to Calm Kids

How excited do kids get with the start of school approaching? Getting kids to go from the freedom of school holidays to move to that place of being settled and ready for school... Read More

COMMITMENT: Teaching Children the Lessons of a Lifetime

It's been said, time and again, that for a child to learn what is most important, he must be shown the lessons through example, not through words. And, if we are to nurture... Read More

STOP Parental Alienation Syndrome before It Gets a Chance to START

Parental Alienation Syndrome was probably first identified and codified by Dr. Richard Gardner in his book of the same name. He first laid out his thesis in 1985 in an article, "Recent Trends... Read More

The Reticular Activating System, and its Role in Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder

In our last article about the neurology of ADHD we began to introduce the reader to the system in the brain known as the Reticular Activating System. The Reticular Activating System is the... Read More

Ten Tips for a Great First Day of School!

Many children are jittery on the first day of school. Listed are ways to prepare your child for the big day!-Read books about school.-Talk to other children about school, especially siblings or neighborhoodfriends.... Read More

After the Driving School

If you visit search engines you can find several resources to assist you on this subject. Try searching on the phrase "parents with teen drivers". Alternatively we have tried to make this easy... Read More

Intermission: Wood Chips

I wanted to share with you one of the most valuable lessons my daughter taught me when she was sixteen-months-old. I call this essay, "Cherish Your Wood Chips."Today was one of those days... Read More

Is it ADHD or Bi-Polar Disorder?

Bi-Polar Disorder, or Manic Depression, is characterized by mood swings, sometimes extreme, ranging from depressed to normal moods, or from depressed to manic episodes. Manic behaviors are often very similar to "hyperactive" behaviors,... Read More

Watch What You Say

"Now don't you go getting any ideas, Harold.""Don't you get any ideas either, Terry.""Don't you two get any ideas."The young mother's words to her small children echoed in my head for several days.... Read More

The Secret To Keeping Kids Interested on Family Vacations

Vacations and trips are great family events, but how do you keep kids interested and busy during the down times? Have them keep journals of the trips and their impressions.Writing JournalsTake a minute... Read More

Top 25 Children Quotations

"You can learn many things from children. How much patience you have, for instance."-- Franklin P. Adams"A child reminds us that playtime is an essential part of our daily routine."-- Anonymous"Mothers are fonder... Read More