Tag Archive for: raising teenagers

Chores Lead to Success, Later in Life (even if teens don’t love them!)

By: Collett Smart

a comic strip of a mother and daughter at a sink. The mum asks her daughter, why didnt you wash this pan? The daughter responds, that pan wasn't part of the official dinner dishes! Mum says, listen, when i ask you to do the dishes after dinner, that means every dish in the sink, not just the ones for dinner AND it also means cleaning the counter and making the kitchen look tidy! The daughter groans.

Has the artist of Hedger Humour been peeping in my windows? We often wonder about the benefits of chores, and whether the sighing, dodging and procrastination are worth the effort (and that’s just the parents I am talking about! 😉) Read more

Supporting Your QuaranTeen

By: Collett Smart

The day in a life of a quaranteen is different to what teens usually do. What can you do to help your teen through self isolation and staying at home? Read more

When Should Kids Start Dating?

By: Collett Smart

It would be naïve of parents to think their child won’t develop love interests at various times in their high school years. Indeed, belittling our teens for having feelings is the quickest way to ensure they never come to talk to us, about relationships, as they get older. Read more

4 Lessons About Parenting Teens in a Hyper-Sexualised Age

By: Robert Garrett

In several recent blogs I reference experts encouraging parents to keep the channels of communication open with their teens.

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How Do You Talk To Your Teen About Porn?

By: Collett Smart

Note: The use of * throughout this article is so that it gets through any web filters you may have.

Young people are naturally curious and innately want to know more about love and sex, yet porn has the ability to destroy everything that is good about romance, love and relationships. There is nothing empathic or kind about p*rn. Read more

What the Final Class of 2020 Needs from You Right Now

By: Collett Smart

It’s been a strange year for all students, but none more so than those in their final year of school. Read more

9 Practical Ways to Support Anxious Kids Return to School

By: Collett Smart

The relaxing and lifting of restrictions in schools makes it sound like we’re on our way back to normal, yet ‘normal’ is a long way off. And our children know it. Read more

Is Your Daughter a Victim of Gaslighting?

By: Collett Smart

‘Gaslighting’ means to manipulate a person into doubting their own sanity, through psychological means. It is a calculated tactic which sees the abuser gain more power and makes the victim question their reality. Gaslighting can happen in toxic friendships too, but for the sake of this article, I am referring to romantic relationships. Read more

When Schooling Comes Home

By: Collett Smart

There is a staggered start to online learning all over the country this month – as school holidays officially end. Like many of you, I am picking up this next plate to add to those already spinning in the air. I am actually a teacher as well as a psychologist and let me reassure you, this is not homeschooling. This is not even normal schooling for schools! Read more

How Housebound Families Can Stay Sane

By: Collett Smart

Many around the world have been housebound for some time now. We’re not even sure when this way of living will come to an end. How might we navigate everyone being at home, in a confined space, for most of the day, for an unknown period of time… and still maintain mental fitness? Read more