To love oneself is the beginning of a lifelong romance.
One of the coolest things about raising teenagers is the intelligent conversations you get to have with them. Suddenly they have a profound opinion about EVERYTHING!
Raising teenagers has its shares of challenges, but if we take a moment to soak up all the good moments you have with them, because talking from experience the positives outweighs the negative for sure.
My advice would be, if you want to connect with your teens, you need to do it on their terms 😊
Sometimes our teens aren’t interested in our advice or solutions. All they really need is a listening heart and a little empathy. So let them vent, let them get it off their chest.
LET THEM KNOW YOU ARE THERE 🥰❤️
They need you more than you know. Being a teenager today is hard – Be there for them.
They need your attention, hugs, encouragement, and your unconditional love
You make them feel better,
You make them feel stronger
You make them feel loved
Do you have a teenager? How do you connect with them? Please share your thoughts below 👇
And you don’t have to agree with me on the things I’m about to share. 😄
Peer influence is when you choose to do something you wouldn’t otherwise do, because you want to feel accepted and valued by your friends.
If you want your teenager to say NO to sex, smoking, and other potentially risky behaviour, they need to know they can say NO to you first!
Most parents have trouble accepting NO from their children. In some culture it’s a taboo for a child to say NO to their parents 😄
However, if we can lose our ego and allow them to express themselves freely by saying no to us sometimes, then they will be able to say no others too.
My son is allowed to say no to me without me getting upset about it. I allowed this because I want him to know that he doesn’t have to agree with me about everything, and that he’s free to say no if he wants, but within reason o 😆.
And I won’t take it personally at all. (It was hard at first, being an African mom, but I soon realise that by allowing him to express himself freely with me means that I’m giving him power and confidence to be himself with others, and not to be a pushover or a people pleaser.
You don’t have to believe me, but it’s the truth.
My son is 19 now, and when we go out to important events, I see how he interacts with people and he speaks his mind. I’m so proud of him for that.
Kids aren’t going to just magically have any skill. We must allow them to practice these skills with us first.
As an adult yourself, picture the adults you like to hang out with and the characters that they had. Those are the skills you need to instill in your children when they’re little.
Because we are not really raising a child, we are raising an adult. (They grow up so fast)
Here are some skills you can teach your kids: Setting boundaries, negotiating, standing up for themselves, saying no and others. Then model and encourage those skills.
Start early and you will be glad you did 😊
I’m starting to see the fruits of my labour in unexpected and delightful ways. It wasn’t easy but it’s worth it.
I would like to hear from you in the comments below… How do you react when your tweens or teens say no to you?
And you don’t have to agree with me on the things I’m about to share. 😄
Peer influence is when you choose to do something you wouldn’t otherwise do, because you want to feel accepted and valued by your friends.
If you want your teenage to say NO to sex, smoking, and other potentially risky behaviour, they need to know they can say NO to you first!
Most parents have trouble accepting NO from their children. In some culture it’s a taboo for a child to say NO to their parents 😄
However, if we can lose our ego and allow them to express themselves freely by saying no sometimes to us. if they can say no to you without an argument, then they will be able to say no to others too.
My son is allowed to say no to me without me getting upset about it. I allowed this because I want him to know that he doesn’t have to agree with me about everything, he is free to say no if he wants, but within reason o 😆.
And I won’t take it personally at all. (It was hard at first, being an African mom, but I realise that by allowing him to express himself freely with me I’m giving him power and confidence to be himself with others, and not to be a pushover or a people pleaser
You don’t have to believe me, but it’s the truth.
My son is 18 now, and when we go out to important events, I see how he interacts with people and he speaks his mind. I’m so proud of him for that.
Kids aren’t going to just magically have any skills we don’t let them practice.
As an adult yourself, picture the adults you like to hang out with and the characters that they had. Those are the skills you need to instill in your children when they’re little.
Because we are not really raising a child, we are raising an adult. (They grow up so fast)
Skills like; setting boundaries, negotiating, standing up for themselves, saying no and others. Then model and encourage those skills.
Start early and you will be glad you did 😊
I’m starting to see the fruits of my labour in unexpected and delightful ways. It wasn’t easy but it’s worth it.
I would like to hear from you in the comments below… How do you react when your tweens or teens say no to you?
Dear parents, if you’re worried your teens might blow their whole vacation sleeping or binge-watching Netflix. Then get them a summer job!
And if you think they’ll never go for that, here’s even better news: I’ve put together a list of cool jobs that’ll bring in money while also allowing them to have some fun along the way. That’s a win-win for your whole family!
How to Look for a Summer Job.
When it comes to your teen’s job search, the internet is your friend. While your teen probably knows how to work the web better than you do, you know more about job searching. Help them search for summer jobs in your area. Job postings might require them to fill out an online application, and you can be a big help with that.
HERE ARE SOME EXAMPLES OF JOBS FOR YOUR TEENAGERS DURING SUMMER
Retail food Service /hospitality (They can register with an agency)
Tutoring. (If they’re good in a subject they can teach younger kids. All you need to do is help them talk to people that may be looking for tutor for their kids)
Sharing Your Skills.
Babysitting and Pet Walking. ( a lot of pet owners are looking for people to look after their pets when they’re away for holidays)
Photography.
Blogging, Vlogging and Social Media. Your teen probably spends plenty of time on social media already, so why not make some cash for creating content?
Ask around and see if anyone within your network works for a company who is offering summer jobs for teens.
If your teen has creative talent, have them put it to good use this summer. Websites like Etsy have made it simple to make a buck on the gift of creativity. Anyone can set up a shop in a matter of minutes and then get to work on designing gifts and merchandise! Things like jewelry, clothing and blankets sell really well.
Start a Business
Some teens are self-starters who have their own vision of a way to make money. In fact, some of the most successful people started companies as teens! Others may discover they just can’t find any good companies hiring teens. Either way, if they’re interested, help them start their own business! The sky’s the limit when it comes to what kind of business they could dive into. Help your teen think about the kinds of things they’re good at and what their hobbies are.
My final thoughts
Remember, this is just a summer job—it’s not a full-time career. Although, if they really do find their niche out there, then maybe that’s what it will become!
DO YOU HAVE A TEENAGER? Then today’s post is for you
It’s summer and I thought if you’re like me and you have teenagers at home, you may be thinking of
how to keep your teen busy during the summer months.😄
What better ways to achieve this than a getting them registered with a part term agency that only works with teenagers (if you don’t know one send me a DM)
Dear parents, trust me, a summer job can be good for young people and it won’t interfere with their school.
Here are some of the biggest benefits your teen might gain:
✅ Financial skills: With support from you, a paycheck can be an opportunity for your teen to learn how to effectively manage finances. Teach your teen to establish a budget so they can practice saving for the future.
✅A good job can give your teen valuable insight into what they may want to do after SIXTH FORM or University. They may discover they enjoy working with people or they might decide that they want to own a business. If nothing else, a part-time job gives your teen valuable work experience that they can list on future job applications.
✅Less time to get into trouble: If your teen heads straight from school to a job, it shortens the amount of free time they have to engage in risky behaviors. They’ll be less likely to be bored when a job keeps them busy.
✅Life skills: A job could instill confidence and independence in your teen. If they work with customers, it can teach them how to handle difficult situations and improve their communication skills.
✅Work skills: A job will help your teenager gain work skills—such as how to complete a job application, how to do well in an interview, and how to work for a supervisor.
My final thought,
Deciding whether to let your teen get a job isn’t a decision you should make lightly.
Having a job after completing sixth form is not right for every teen.
You will need to determine if your child has the time, the maturity, and the responsibility to juggle a job along with their other commitments.
‼️ Watch out for my post tomorrow on different skills your teens can learn and monetize it
Because I’m a teacher, I know what happens to kids’ brains and memories during the summer months.
Their brains turn mushy. .
Kids forget things they had mastered in July by September.
So what you can do this summer is to do “summer learning,” every day.
Even if it’s just 30 minutes, learning each day will help.
Here are summer activities for 7+
Visit your local library with them at least once a week. (There are lots of events going on, I am going to be reading one of my books at my local library this week too)
Visit local parks and recreation departments which run day camps.
Read books with them and ask them questions.
Create a summer memory board from pictures and things you love to collect.
Arrange a playdate with cousins, neighbors and friends.
Gather Donations. Ask your child to gather all her old toys and clothes they no longer wear and donate them to the charity shop.
Keep a diary – encourage them to write down their daily experience in a notebook. You never know they can turn it into a book on the future.
Go to the park
Happy summer holiday 🥰❤️❤️❤️
Thanks for reading
What are your plans this summer? Please share your thoughts in the comments below 🥰❤️
I know it’s summer and you may just want to enjoy yourself and do nothing! right? 😄
Sure, there are games to play, movies to watch, and friends to hang out with.
But there are also plenty of productive things to do during the school holidays.
So I’ve come up with this list of 10 meaningful things to do.
Set goals for the coming school year.
Watch documentaries.
You can watch thousands of high-quality documentaries for free at Documentary channel.
Learn a new language. Visit these websites and learn a new language: Duolingo, Babbel and BBC Languages
Learn a new skill. Public speaking, Cooking, Drawing, Coding, Graphic designing, Website designs, Self-defense, Negotiation, Listening, Positive thinking.
Read. I strongly recommend that you read these FOUR BOOKS: 👉1: Man’s Search for Meaning by Viktor Frankl. 2: How to Win Friends and Influence People by Dale Carnegie. 3:The Success Principles by Jack Canfield. 4: Feel the Fear … and Do It Anyway by Susan Jeffers.
Watch Khan Academy videos. This school holiday, brush up on your math, science and humanities by watching Khan Academy videos.
Start a business. YOU COULD START SOMETHING LIKE: Babysitting business; Dog-walking business; Pet-sitting business. Or you could think big like the famous 12 kids, who have built million-dollar businesses in arenas like app development, online advertising, fashion, and hair products.
Pick up a new hobby. You will probably feel bored at some point during the school holidays. That’s the time to pick up a new hobby like… Photography: Dancing: Baking and so on.
Improve your vocabulary. Students’ success in school and life is linked to the size of their vocabulary, the research indicates. I’m sure you want to be successful, so use these Two resources to improve your vocabulary: Vocabulary.com: EnhanceMyVocabulary.com:.
Improve your writing skills. Writing skills are important for academic success, and they’re even more important for career success. So work on your writing skills this school holiday. Register for an online writing workshop.
My final thoughts
It’s impossible to do all 10 things described in this article.
Besides, I know you also want to have plenty of fun this school holiday.
So don’t feel overwhelmed.
Instead, develop a realistic plan. (To do this, write down your daily or weekly plans and check everyone you accomplish each goal.)
As you follow your plan, I’m confident that you’ll have a meaningful, productive and fun-filled school holiday.
Have fun guys and enjoy your summer well done for all your hard work ❤️
Because I’m a teacher, I know what happens to kids’ brains and memories during the summer months.
Their brains turn mushy. .
Kids forget things they had mastered in July by September.
So what you can do this summer is to do “summer learning,” every day.
Even if it’s just 30 minutes, learning each day will help.
Here are some ideas of learning activities for 3-5 year olds.
So what should a 4 year old be learning?
Count 10 or more objects. Correctly name at least four colors and three shapes. Recognize some letters and possibly write their name.
Better understand the concept of time and the order of daily activities, like breakfast in the morning, lunch in the afternoon, and dinner at night.
I will share some learning ideas for 6-10 year olds tomorrow.
Below are some of our educational books that you can use at home this summer. Just from £5. Most of our books are 100 pages long which is a plus compared to other educational books on the shelf.
Click the link today to get yours and you will thank me later.
This is the last week of the school year for most schools in England.
By now, I know most parents would have made some summer holiday plans for their family.
Anyway, today’s post is for those of us that will be spending the summer holidays at home with our children and maybe you’re wondering how I can keep them entertained.
So this week I will be sharing some summer Activities ideas for different age groups.
So you need to stay tuned so that you won’t miss it.
Here are some fun activities for 3-5 years
Coloring : Not all kids love Coloring, but I have found that if you allow them to color however they want with no expectation they start to enjoy it.
Role Playing : for example; Playing doctors, playing nurse, playing dress ups and so on.
Read books: Read books to them.
Baking: Most preschoolers love to help in the kitchen. Baking is a great activity too.
Chores: while chores don’t sound like fun activity ideas, they are actually great for young kids.
NOTE: In addition, going out with children can be tricky especially younger kids. So dear parents, please before you go out with your kids, make sure you tell them what to do just in case they can’t find you. Teach them your mobile number. However if your kids are too young to memorise your mobile number, make sure you write it on a piece of paper and put it in their pocket before going out.
Let’s say you’re in a big park, and they seem to have gotten lost, tell them not to panic, explain to them that they’re going to be ok and the important things to do at that moment is to find an adult wearing a uniform at the place and ask for help. They can say, “excuse me, I can’t find my mum, can you please call her for me thank you?”
Do you have any summer plans for kids this summer? please leave a comment below 👇 🥰❤️❤️
Your child comes home with a bad report card. How do you best react to it?
When kids bring home report cards, they may worry about how you’re going to react. And you may not always know the right thing to say. The truth is there isn’t one right thing to say. But it is important to look beyond grades.
Here are some common report card situations and tips for talking about them.
First of all you may need to discuss it calmly with them. Make suggestions. If there’s a learning problem in some areas, offer to help with homework and/or hire a tutor. Don’t get mad, don’t intimidate – it doesn’t improve anything.
IF, however, the bad report card is due to lack of effort, ignoring or acting up in class, etc., then some ground rules need to be established.
Here are some common report card situations and tips for talking about them.
Grades improved, but less than you expected.
You may want to say: “I was expecting to see better grades than this.”
Instead, try saying: “Nice! What do you think helped those grades go up?“
Why: Better grades means your child is making progress. And even a little bit can take a lot of effort. Keeping that in mind lets you talk about what’s working well. It opens the door to talk about what might help bring up the rest of your child’s grades, too.
2. Grades and behavior “need improvement.”
You may want to say: “You’re grounded until your behavior and grades improve.”
Instead, try saying: “I need to take some time to think about this. We’ll talk about this tomorrow.”
Why: When the news isn’t great, you might be tempted to jump to some sort of punishments. But punishment usually doesn’t help kids do better next time.
Take some time to think what “improvement” would look like for your child. Be realistic and talk it over with your child. Then come up with a plan to help make it happen.
Poor grades in most classes, even though your child is working hard.
You may want to say: “You’re failing everything?! But you’re working so hard!”
Instead, try saying: “I’m really surprised by these grades. I’ve seen how hard you’re working. We’re going to figure this out.”
Why: If kids are working hard and still struggling, there’s a good chance they already feel bad. Kids in this situation may be scared that nothing they do helps.
Kindly saying that you know they’re working hard can be a relief for kids. It tells them you know they’re not “just being lazy.” And showing that you’re committed to figuring out what’s happening can be a confidence boost. It tells them you’re in it together.
My final thoughts
Don’t just look at the grades — read the teacher’s comments, too.
If your child improved in one area, talk about what your child did to make that happen.
If your child is working hard but still struggling, make sure your child knows that you see the effort.
Positive Parenting With Olu 