Showing posts with label teens. Show all posts
Showing posts with label teens. Show all posts

Bullying and your teenager

Why is bullying such a big issue in our schools today? Remember way back when you were in school. Everyone has their tale to tell about bullying.

Today the problem is getting attention because all too often, it leads to suicide and violent behavior.

Some teens are handling bullying in a new and alarming way. The scariest part about this growing trend is that the bullied teen's parents are right on board with how they want to handle being a victim of teasing.

Cosmetic surgery is becoming a growing trend for teens who are being teased about their appearance.

I recently read about a five year old whose mother takes her for Botox treatments twice a year because of facial imperfections. Botox? For a five year old!!!!!

Sorry, but, I am a mom and that is just plain sick.

What are we teaching our children? Yes, the bully is right to tease you about your big nose. It's okay. We'll fix it. I will allow my teen to have risky plastic surgery so that she/he won't be the victim of teasing anymore.

Seriously? Let's just teach our children to give in to the bullies. Let's not teach them that maybe it isn't all about looks.

Learning how to love yourself for the body you were born with is not a horrible lesson.

There always is the person who cannot stop having plastic or cosmetic surgery in a quest to become "perfect".

Hello people? There is no perfect body, face or woman/man.

Bullies are bullies because they are usually victims themselves. They seek out someone who is more vulnerable than they are and they find something that will trigger the response they are looking for.

Allowing your teen to undergo surgery which is always a risk just so that they feel "better" about themselves is dangerous. You are sending a message to your teen that it is all about looks. You are also telling them that they are not worthy of being loved unless they look a certain way.

These are just some of the mixed messages that you are sending to a teen or child with low-self esteem when you approve them having cosmetic surgery.

What do you think?

Parenting "Expert"

I have been a mom my entire adult life. For the last 10 years, I also had the pleasure of being a stepmom to 3 boys.

When my last boss abruptly closed his business that employed me, it was right before Christmas and jobs were scarce. After I cleaned my house, put out almost every Christmas decoration I owned and then got bored, I discovered writing.

As my confidence grew, I began to take on more writing challenges and on one site I became a Featured Contributor Parenting Expert . I really don't like the term "expert".

Although my wonderful children and stepsons have made sure that I have experienced just about every childhood disease, conflict and situation that a good soap opera writer could imagine, how I have handled these life challenges does not make me an expert.

Who really can say that they are an expert in parenting? Every child is unique. Life is not black and white but contains many different shades of gray.

If my advice, taken from life experiences and research, helps anyone; I am happy. If it makes you laugh along with me, that is great.

Being a parent is the hardest yet most rewarding role you will ever have. I am blessed. I know it. I am thankful and I never ever take that for granted.

My kids are great. They are not perfect ( NO KIDS ARE!)  but for the most part, they are happy. We all have our moments.

I am blessed to have them be a big part of my life. I do not get much quiet time but hey, I am okay with that.

I have the best husband who understands that he comes 6th. I love him for it. He is a smart man.

So, as I take a break from writing my "unique" content for my January parenting featured articles, I want to raise the question, what exactly IS an expert?

Even though my "children" are no longer babies (the youngest is a teen), I am still learning the ropes of parenting on a daily basis. It changes as they do.

Leave me your feedback and tell me where do you go for parenting advice?

Working Parents(MOMS) Dilemma

Summer vacation is coming and kids are getting excited for the break! Moms who work outside the home dread summer because it means either putting your kids in camp, daycare or finding someone to keep an eye on them. What if you kid is not really a kid anymore,can they stay home alone all summer? If you have a kid between the ages of 12 and 14, you want them to have some supervision. If your teen is like mine, she will sleep til noon or later and then call me all day at work. She doesn't get it that parents don't get the summer off. Here is a link to an article that gives some suggestions for working parents with older kids.

http://www.associatedcontent.com/article/3019422/the_working_parents_dilemma_when_its.html?cat=25