Search Results for: blog who decides what is appropriate for your teen

Teaching Your Children Your Morals

Not all homeschooling families are religious, but many are, and have chosen to incorporate their values into their homeschool curriculums. This is true of me and my family. We are Latter-day Saints, and we choose to make our religion an integral part of our lives. This overflows into everything from our interactions with each other to the way we approach certain subjects—creationism rather than evolution, for instance. The other night, I had an experience that made me sit back and look at my daughter in a new light. She has been taught from infancy what we believe, and I know … Continue reading →

Do you let your kids drive with friends?

When I was a teenager in the 9th grade, a car full of neighbor kids were in a terrible accident. The group was going into The Bronx from Yonkers NY to treat the birthday girl to White Castle hamburgers. She had just turned 13 years old. She never made it home. A truck jackknifed in front to them, and several of them died instantly. Others were injured. Our community lost a 13 year old girl, a 15 year old boy (my classmate’s brother), and the 18 year old driver. An 18 year old passenger lost his arm (that he had … Continue reading →

Returning to work once kids are teens

The youngest child has turned 13. Perhaps it’s time to get a job. After all, they don’t need or want your constant attention. They can be left home alone for hours on end without getting in or causing trouble. It’s definitely time to go back to work. The kids are old enough to fend for themselves. Not so fast. While teens are old enough to give themselves basic care, they are hardly ready to be on their own. They might look like adults, but the teen years are hardly the years be run a household, care for younger siblings, and … Continue reading →

Dealing with Teenage Mood Swings

A Frontline report on the teenage brain has a segment on mood swings. They say the problem is from hormonal swings that affect the frontal lobe. This part of the brain is developing to help them regulate their emotions and reactions to stress. They are obviously not there yet, but eventually it will all smooth out. The result is quite confusing. Adults are just not used to responses that seem unreasonable… and most responses are unreasonable during the teen years. We are confused because we are looking into the eyes of people who are as tall as we are or … Continue reading →

Who decides what is appropriate for your teen?

Your teen asks for permission to buy a game that has been rated as appropriate for teens. You glance at the package and see that the rating indicates that is is OK for your kids. You then give permission for the game. You do the same thing for movies and and follow the same rules for TV shows. In some cases, you even let them go into the next age range. Video games rated “Teen” suggest content MAY BE suitable for ages 13 and up. They may include violence, suggestive themes, crude humor, minimal blood, simulated gambling, and strong language. … Continue reading →

What Parents Need to Know about Video Games

I have written about parents educating themselves about video games ad-nauseum, but still, I don’t think enough can be said. Read: Advantages and Disadvantages of Parenting a Video Game Enthusiast How Much Do You Know About Your Children’s Video Games? This is a very important subject that needs to be visited again and again. Doctor Radio recently reported on Kids and Video Games and what you should know before you buy. In this online video report, Dr. Lori Evans mentioned the Top Five Tips Parents Need to Know about having video games in the home. The tips included having the … Continue reading →

Deciphering Video Game Ratings

“Video game ratings are not a game.” They should be taken seriously, and Activision (an American video game developer) is working to make sure parents know what the ratings mean. The first thing, in my estimation that parents must realize about video game ratings is that they are suggestions. As parents, you are free to be more or less restrictive with the rating. While most parents are less restrictive, it might be wise to consider being more conservative. Here are the current video game ratings and what they really mean. Video games rated eC are for “early childhood”. Parents should … Continue reading →

Are You Going to Wear That?

(cc)image by SuziJane/flickr Remember when your kid’s style was a reflection of your own style? It’s amazing how a perfectly neat well put together elementary aged child, turns into a teen whose since of style either becomes bizarre, or slovenly. I have a bit of both on my hands. The boy used to dress like a miniature man. If Dad wore it, then he wanted one. He requested ties, khaki’s and dress shirts when we went shopping. He preferred shoes over sneakers and sandals. Now he just wants to be covered. As long as nothing important is showing, he could … Continue reading →

Movies Week in Review June 23rd-28th

We have a little bit of everything for you this week in Movie Reviews! We started out the week with “Raising Helen,” a romantic comedy about a career woman (Kate Hudson) who inherits her sister’s children when she is killed. As Helen learns how to be a parent, she’s helped along the way by her other sister (Joan Cusack) and by the surprisingly good-looking pastor of their new church (John Corbett). “Get Smart” is a remake of the old classic television show and manages to update the premise while still staying true to its roots. Starring Anne Hathaway as Agent … Continue reading →

The Wizard (1989)

“The Wizard” is the story of a dysfunctional family, trying, unsuccessfully, to set things straight. Fred Savage stars as Corey Woods, the thirteen-year-old son of Sam Woods (Beau Bridges). Sam has been married twice, and had sons Nick (Christian Slater) and Corey with his first wife. When he remarried, to Christine (Wendy Phillips) they had twins, a boy and a girl. Jennifer, the female twin, drowned, and the male twin, Jimmy, was the witness. Ever since then, Jimmy has suffered from post-traumatic stress syndrome, and acts as though he has a mental disability. Sam and Christine divorced, and Christine took … Continue reading →