Advice for Parents: Phase Two

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Now that you’ve accomplished the Parent Chronicles Action Items, you may be a little surprised by what you don’t know.  Here are some helpful pieces of advice and ways that you can learn more about your teen’s world.

1. Volunteer to chaperone a school event. School or social life for your teen can be vastly different from home life. This is where teens flex their “social muscles,” at school sports games, dances or volunteer activities.  All are prime opportunities for your teen to interact with his or her friends and meet new ones. By observing your teen in settings outside the home, you can see the person he or she is presenting to others.  

2. Who is the new “Brat Pack”? Young celebrities can have a big impact on teens and their behavior, and some make less-than-desirable lifestyle choices. Understanding the hype behind what makes some celebrities more notorious than others, and being in-the-know about their behavior, can give you a window into the pressures and messages that teens face on a daily basis.  A good way to do this is to simply ask your teen who his or her favorite celebs are or to pick up a celebrity-focused magazine.

3. “Friend” your teen.  If you are unfamiliar with Friendster, MySpace or Facebook, you are not alone. The Internet is the hot spot where teens go to connect with people they know or don’t know. It’s also much easier for teens to receive messages from strangers on these social networking sites.  So understanding how teens use these Web sites to talk with their friends or to meet new ones is key to keeping them safe online.  You can set up your own profile on one of these sites or ask your teen to view his or her personal page.

4. Discuss what is real. With TV reality shows and other popular culture messages everywhere we turn, it’s hard for a teen to understand what society values, especially when it comes to making healthy decisions about drugs and alcohol. Many TV shows and celebrity magazines normalize “party life” and make it seem like “everyone is doing it.” Talking to your teen about being above the influence of drugs and alcohol, and making decisions that impact them in healthy ways, can be a guiding light in a sea of mixed messages.

5. Know what your teen is sharing. Today, there are many different ways that teens can connect instantly with their friends, and a cell phone might be the handiest gadget. Not only do teens call and text their friends with updates on their lives or just to chat, they use their camera phones to visually share what’s happening and when it’s happening.  Ask your teen how to use this phone feature if you don’t already know, and on occasion, ask to see their archived photos.   

Looking for more tips? Read on for more advice and ways that you can learn about your teen’s world.