Parenting Newsletter Aspen Education Group

In this issue:
Are You an Overprotective Parent?

What to Do if Your Child Is Being Bullied

Help Your Teenager Get in Shape Before College

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Spring is a great time to enroll your teen in a wilderness program!

Phoenix Outdoor is a licensed wilderness-based substance abuse and chemical dependency treatment program for teenagers ages 13-17.

SUWS of the Carolinas is a therapeutic wilderness program that uses the outdoors as an alternative to conventional treatment environments, while engaging students using traditional therapeutic methods.

Wilderness Programs for Teens

Four Circles Recovery Center for older teens and young adults ages 18-28 is an innovative addictions, substance abuse and co-occuring mental health disorders treatment program that combines a traditional counseling setting with extensive wilderness experiences.

Adirondack Leadership Expeditions is a character development wilderness program that promotes personal growth through focused experiences. The forested, mountain setting removes urban distractions to allow students room to gain insight into their core values and accept responsibility for their choices.

Turn-About Ranch is a place where old-time values such as hard work, honesty, respect, teamwork and accountability are the standard. Teens thrive in the unique environment of this spirited working cow-and-horse ranch. The objective of Turn-About Ranch is to provide a hard-hitting, high-impact therapeutic program that will remold and turn around the lives of rebellious teens.

Are You an Overprotective Parent?

Adolescence is full of opportunities for success and failure – and to be well-adjusted, teens need to experience both. Your daughter may miss the tie-breaking shot in a hockey game or be the only girl that doesn’t get invited to a high school party. Your son may blow his chance at a college scholarship. And every teen is likely to feel the rejection of their first break-up.

And though parents can create a soft place to fall, depriving your teen of these experiences by protecting them from challenges and shielding them from the natural consequences of their actions can cause a lifetime of hardship.

Warning Signs

Overprotective parents don’t like to see their kids hurting and instantly go into fix-it mode. Rather than letting their child experience the consequences of their decisions, these parents step in to defend the child and alleviate any discomfort they may feel.

There is a fine line between responsible parenting and overprotective parenting. No one would tell a parent not to protect their child – just don’t over-protect. Parental involvement is essential for a child’s healthy emotional, social and academic development. But when your love and concern manifest in the following behaviors, you may have overstepped their bounds.

A willingness to do anything to see your child succeed
Stepping in immediately when your teen is in distress
Striving to make your teen happy all of the time
Needing to be liked or viewed as your teen’s friend rather than a parent
Giving in to your teen’s every demand
Blaming others for your teen’s problems
Minimizing or justifying your teen’s behaviors
Making demands of teachers, counselors, friends, coaches and others because the adolescent can’t or won’t resolve their own problem
Getting involved in every aspect of your teen’s life, including academics, dating and friends
Using cell phones, e-mail and instant messaging to stay in constant contact and hover around your child at all times
Doing anything to make sure your teen doesn’t experience hardship, sadness, disappointment, anger or other difficult emotions

Continue reading for tips on avoiding overprotective parenting>>

What to Do if Your Child Is Being Bullied

The American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry estimates that half of all school children are bullied at one time or another. Obviously, this is not encouraging news for parents, as there is a high probability that your child will be bullied by a classmate.

There are right and wrong ways for children (and parents) to handle bullying. If your son or daughter is being bullied, here are some things to keep in mind.

Listen to Them
Possibly the worst thing a parent can do is ignore or dismiss a child's complaint of being bullied. It takes a lot of courage for children to admit that someone is picking on them. Respect that courage, and take time to hear them out.

Believe Them
Bullying isn't something kids are likely to lie about, so give your children the benefit of the doubt, and let them tell their story. Get as much information as you can, including names of any teachers or students who may have seen the incident(s). If possible, find out how your child responded to the bullying, too.

Help Your Teenager Get in Shape Before College

Going to college gives kids a chance to start fresh on a new campus with a whole new group of peers. For a high school senior or recent grad, the months before going away to a university are a time to take stock, reevaluate one's personal style and start preparing for the new social life that awaits them.

For many kids, this means not only getting new clothes and preparing for dorm life, but also losing weight.

If you want to help your teenager get in shape before college, or if you're a soon-to-be university freshman yourself, here are some ways to get in shape before you or your teen start roaming the university halls:

Make it a family effort. If your teenager has fallen out of shape, there's a good chance that there are other family members who need to rethink their diet and exercise practices.

Don't focus all of your efforts on the teenager in the household. Involve yourself, your spouse and any other children in all of your plans. Some family members may not like being dragged into this, but it's better for everyone in the long run.

Don't take your child's word for it. As you probably already know, kids in their late teens are inherently rebellious. They may even rebel against things just for the sake of rebellion. So you may find your teenager putting up some resistance against your health and fitness efforts.

But don't take this at face value. In fact, if your child is unhealthy or overweight, there's no doubt that they want to get in shape.

Remember that any negativity expressed regarding your efforts is just the rebellious teen learning to assert his or her individuality. It doesn't mean that your ideas are bad, or that your plan won't work. As the big transition comes closer, you'll probably notice your child becoming more and more cooperative.

Learn more ways to help your teen get in shape>>

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