Facebook Parenting: For the troubled teen
I was searching on Youtube and found this video by a really angry dad. It’s includes explicit language, so listen without young ears around you. This is why I wrote, Trying to Stay Sane While Raising Your Teen.
Watch the video and tell me what you think!
Trying to Stay Sane Book Reviews
My book, Trying to Stay Sane While Raising Your Teen was featured (read and reviewed) last week at the World Literary Cafe: http://www.worldliterarycafe.com/
Here’s a review from bellalunavoicecompany.com (Thanks Bella!)
Trying to Stay Sane While Raising Your Teen by C. Lynn Williams is a short primer with advice on child rearing techniques for parents during the challenging teen years. The book is written with humor and abundant examples on ways to work with teenaged children. As a psychologist, I heartily agree with many of her comments on communication between child and parent. I also found the section on blended families sensitive and helpful.
Ms. Williams also describes her personal need to involve a dialogue with God while facing some of the more overwhelming decisions she needed to make with her children. She reinforces this approach with multiple biblical references at the end of the primer. Although some readers may not be comfortable with this inclusion in the primer, it is reasonable to assume that parents don’t always have the answers they need and may take comfort in advice from another source! Of course as a psychologist, I would also recommend consulting a professional when parents are at a loss when confronting serious issues with a teen.
Teaching School Tolerance
I saw this link on pregnant teen girls and our need to be sure that they are educated in school. Check it out and tell me what you think.
http://www.tolerance.org/blog/support-pregnant-teens-lasts-generations
Submitted by Sarah Sansburyon March 30, 2012
- Keywords:
- Diversity and inclusion
Paulina walked slowly down the hall, her gait marked by the waddle of many pregnant mothers. As she came closer, you could see her belly, slightly swollen. You felt her discomfort as she squeezed into her desk. Five months in, she hadn’t seen a doctor or taken any vitamins. The baby’s father wasn’t in the picture. There were rumors of rape. Her parents had all but disowned her.
What role should the school play in the life of a teenage mom? How can we help?
Of course we don’t advocate teen pregnancy. Pregnancy prevention is the best policy. However, the question is what to do when it happens—because it will happen.
Like all teenagers—no matter their creed, race, gender—young mothers are still students deserving an equal opportunity for education. A school needs to be flexible in making that happen.
Sadly, the fact is teen moms are more likely to drop out than graduate. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only 50 percent of teen moms get their diploma. Of those who get their high school diploma, only an estimated 2 percent will graduate from college by age 30. It’s not only hard to be a mom while going through school, but that most schools do not offer teen moms the needed support.
In fact, only a few states have specific laws requiring schools to provide special services for teen moms like home-bound studies or in-school programs. Other states, like Kansas, have no laws regarding attendance or alternative programs. Some states“require” helpful programs for teen moms. Others “encourage”them. Some schools do an excellent job of serving pregnant or parenting teens.
A teen mother‘s success seems unfortunately tied to the luck of the draw—the state and district where she attends school. One purpose of public education is to help create capable, contributing citizens—even if they are young moms. A little help now may be all she needs to stay on the path of education.
We need to champion their needs—whether that means speaking to your administration, board of education members, or even state legislators. And, if you have any pregnant students, be flexible and supportive as best you can. It can be as simple as providing a comfortable desk area or, on a larger scale, supplying materials and instruction needed while she recovers during maternity leave.
No matter what our personal philosophy is on teen pregnancy, we need to boost our students’ likelihood for success.
Paulina, a senior, had a baby boy in January. With the support of her teachers and school counselor, she had started taking prenatal vitamins, regularly seeing a doctor and will be participating in a home-bound study program when she’s on maternity leave. She is determined to graduate—for a better future for her and her baby.
Sansbury is a middle and high school teacher in Georgia.
End Racial Profiling – Tribute to Trayvon Martin
I have two sons; the youngest is 21 years old. As the mother of two pampered princes, the thought of harm or ill will coming to either one of them, brings tears to my eyes. I love both of my sons, as any mother does. However, recently there have been a number of senseless killings of young African American men especially in my neighborhood. It’s terrifying and sad to think that when you kiss your child in the morning you might not see him again. Ever!
I can only imagine how Trayvon Martin’s parents feel, especially in light of the fact that he was a good kid, doing the right things in life and minding his own business. The fact that someone can decide that they think that Trayvon looked like a thug (and therefore was a thug) because he is wearing a hoodie, is astounding to me. George Zimmerman what would you think of my sons?
Trayvon’s story is already inspiring millions in the call for justice and an end to racial violence. It also moved writer/activist Kevin Powell, Akila Worksongs, Jasiri X and the folks at MoveOn and ColorOfChange to record a new powerful video “A Song for Trayvon.” Please watch it and share it with your family and friends to inspire more people to join this growing movement:
http://moveon.org/SongForTrayvon?id=38007-18594760-6s2Siax&t=
All of us sharing Trayvon’s story and calling out for justice are fighting back against racism and senseless violence, so one day we no longer have to fear our child’s walk home in the darkness.
Nurturing Young Kids
I was on my way to school and noticed a young man walking in front of a very young child, possibly a toddler. The “toddler” was hoping behind his dad and his dad was talking on the cell phone, oblivious to whether the child crossed the street safely or not. I was bothered by the entire scene, and I have seen this many times. The parent is in front of their child, and not paying attention to that child. What happened to walking down the street holding hands with your child? We were not allowed to cross the street without holding the hand of our older sibling or parent. What in the world are these people thinking about?
What are your thoughts?
Why Spanking Doesn’t Work – According to a new analysis
Okay I admit it, I grew up in a household where I was spanked! There I said it! I know there are many of you who are strong believers of corporal punishment, as well as those who believe there is another way to parent. To thine own self be true.. I truly believe in moderation, a well placed tap on the rear is sufficient to modify our children’s behavior when necessary. Click on the link and read the article. Let me know your thoughts. I’ll be waiting!
http://healthland.time.com/2012/02/06/why-spanking-doesnt-work/?iid=op-article-mostpop2
Parenting the Pampered Prince
How do you feel about deadlines? As a rule, I don’t like deadlines but you must admit, they keep you on track and focused. Our pampered prince has a deadline to re-enroll in school or find a full-time job or else he has to move out. Big risk! Huge consequences! It was necessary because I continue meet you (other mothers) who are sharing horror stories about their sons who live at home expecting to be supported by their parents. Needless to say, these are men who are in their 30s, 40s and 50s.
I was proud that we gave him a deadline, however a part of me wants to continue to mother him, cajol, help, (fill-in-the-blank here) and yet how do I expect him to successfully complete this task if I constantly run after him?
What would you do???
Punishing Autistic Children
Did you hear about this?
When Sandra Baker was called to pick up her 9-year-old autistic son, Chris, from his Mercer County, Kentucky school, she was stunned by what she found: She says that Chris’s teacher had stuffed him in a gym bag and left him in the hallway as punishment.
“When I walked in,” Sandra told CBS News, “I went down his hallway, and I saw this big green bag laying in the floor beside the [teacher’s] aide, and I saw it moving.”
Then Sandra heard a voice come from inside the bag: “Momma, is that you?”
Sandra demanded her son be released immediately, but allegedly the bag was tied so tightly the teacher’s aide struggled to open it. When Chris finally got out, his mom says he was sweaty and uncommunicative.
Lydia Brown, a freshman at Georgetown University, is autistic, too. When she heard about Chris’s ordeal at school , she started a petition on Change.org demanding the Mercer County school district discipline the teacher who put Chris in the bag and require its teachers to complete training on interacting with autistic children. Click here to sign Lydia’s petition now.
At a meeting with school officials last week, Sandra learned this wasn’t the first time Chis had been stuffed in the duffel bag as punishment. The teachers allegedly referred to the duffel as a “therapy bag,” but lacking even basic training for working with autistic children, were unable to explain how confining Chris to a drawstring bag constituted “therapy” of any kind.
Here’s the worst part: after her meeting, Sandra says she rec eived no guarantee that this kind of abuse wouldn’t happen again — either to Chris or to other students in Mercer County schools.
That’s just not acceptable to Sandra, or to the 12,000 people who’ve already signed Lydia’s petition on Change.org. Lydia is hoping to deliver the petition to the Mercer County school board at their next meeting. The school board won’t be able to ignore this issue when they see the thousands of people angry about Chris’s treatment and calling for changes.
Please sign Lydia’s petition to get Mercer County schools to fire Chris’s teacher, and to get the school district to require its staff to complete comprehensive training on i nteracting with autistic children.
My Son The Pampered Prince
I always know when I have to address an issue because I start to lose sleep or the issue begins to occupy my thoughts. Well the white elephant in the room is my son. This son dropped out of an Ivy League school because he wasn’t completing the work. Our house rules for our kids have always been either attend school or get a job (or both). For some reason, he has lived on the very edge of those rules and this weekend things came to a head. The class he attended has ended for the semester and the part-time job he had, ended in November.
Now the rubber is meeting the road because like all of the other adult children in this family, he has to work or attend school or make his way somewhere else. Being a mom, I hate the somewhere else option!
However being a parent of integrity, I felt it necessary to discuss his plans and next steps. Our son was very tight-lipped during the discussion, however we gave him our goals and a deadline (to meet our goals). Loving him as I do, I really hope he finds work or re-enrolls in school.
I’ll keep you posted!
Staying Sane While Raising Your Teens 
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