Posts tagged ‘children’
Nurturing Financial Responsibility: A Guide to Building Money Management Skills in Teenagers
Teens’ financial responsibility is often overlooked in their transition to adulthood. Parents can lead by example, set clear expectations, teach budgeting basics, encourage part-time employment, promote delayed gratification, introduce investing, and foster an entrepreneurial spirit. The article offers 10 steps for teens to manage money.
Setting Boundaries As A Way to Manage Your Down Time?
Managing downtime for parents is essential for a healthy work-life balance and family well-being. Setting boundaries helps prioritize needs and emotional well-being. Key points include identifying priorities, communicating needs, scheduling dedicated downtime, creating physical and digital boundaries, learning to say no, leading by example, and being consistent. Setting and respecting boundaries reduces stress and strengthens family connections.
Teaching Your Child to Respond Instead of Reacting
Temper tantrums in young children is expected, until that child grows up and still throws tantrums. Here are tips to help them respond instead of reacting.
Continue Reading January 12, 2024 at 2:33 pm Leave a comment
Fathers Need A Village Too
As a young girl, my dad was present in my life. Daily. He brought levity to my life because he told corny jokes and made us laugh. đđ
Neither of my parents talked a lot, but my dad said the least. Which meant when he spoke, his words carried a lot of weight.
He had a group of men he communicated with often – his village. His brother, Gerald (OG Jr), his father, OG Sr, uncles, and his two buddies – Clarence and Ike.
I loved my father and the male perspective he brought to my life. While mom was straight forward and no nonsense, dad was more reflective and gentler. Sort of⌠He could be brutally frank as well. đŠ
During my teen years, my parents divorced and we saw less of my dad.
Years later, I talked with him about his absences. He said âhe didnât have anything to give us financiallyâ. It took my college years for me to realize that my dad was human and had faults. While he had a village, talking easily was not part of his culture, nor was asking for help.
Of course once I became an adult, he was an open book . đ¤ˇđ˝ââď¸
Being a parent is hard and exhausting while amazing at the same time.
While my father was a major influence in my life, so was my grandfather, uncles, and later, father-in-laws, coaches and mentors.
Thank you to the men who have raised or are raising or helping raise children. đ¤đ¤đ¤ Thank you for being kind and generous in your praise and limiting your criticism.
FATHER’S DAY PRAYER
God, bless all the fathers in the world. Guide them to be good role models and loving to all their children.
Help them to be a father like You are. Give them grace and patience to handle situations in a loving way. Amen!
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C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Parent Coach, Author & Speaker
Education Technology and the Children’s Online Privacy Protection Act
Are you aware that the Childrenâs Online Policy Statement, announced on May 25th, affirms that kids under 13 shouldnât have to give up their privacy rights just to do their schoolwork? It also tells ed tech providers they canât require parents and schools to agree to the comprehensive surveillance of children in exchange for studentsâ use of such learning tools.
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Even before the pandemic forced kids into virtual learning platforms, ed tech has been used in schools. The FTC is working to ensure that the companies offering this technology are following the law â and to let parents know that the FTC is watching what information companies collect about kids, how they use it, for how long they keep it, and how they protect it. When it comes to protecting kidsâ personal information, the FTC is on the side of parents who are concerned about data collection and privacy.
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Thatâs why I am sharing their consumer blog (also available in Spanish) with my audience, and letting people know about this important topic. To read the policy statement, visit: COPPA statement. For more information about protecting kids online, visit ftc.gov/parents.
Interested in learning more about your familyâs dynamics? Contact me â Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my parent coaching programs that help guide you through Aging Parents, Mother and Daughter drama, Mothers and their Sons challenges, Fathers and Daughters as well as Fathers and their Sons.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Parent Coach, Author & Speaker
Care Enough To Join Me
We had an event in my community yesterday and it had been a culmination of twice weekly activities over a six week period, that included young people from elementary through high school as well as adults.
We had a pretty decent turnout, with most parents attending with their child. The odd thing was that the parents of one of our teens did not attend. She said they were home cleaning house 𧟠đ§˝. I was really bummed out, for her. She had had some rough times during our weekly meetings with family issues but during the entire time, we never met her parents. đđ
It took me back to the days when my children were younger. We tried to attend everything they were involved in. Of course that wasnât possible, but we tried. And maybe this was true for my teenâs parents. Maybe they attend every other event and just couldnât with this one. Watching her during our project meetings I got a different impression. To me she felt lonely and alone.
So this is what I want to say to her parents: It is important to show up in your kidâs life as often as you can. Doesnât matter if they are 5, 15 or 25 years old. Our kids love our support! Yes itâs easy to show up for the large events like graduations and milestone birthdays. But sometimes we have to be parents no matter how busy our days are and be available! That means we play games with our kids, we go for walks (yea put down the headphones, game controllers and phones) đ
As the parental unit (one of my daughterâs favorite phrases), our kids wonât remember that we were trying to make a living and had to put food on the table thatâs not the first thing that they will remember about us. What they may remember is that we sat on the stairs and talked with them about what the 2020 election means; theyâll remember that we drove to the lakefront and watched the sunset; that we talked into the night about good and bad decisions, that we watch their favorite Disney movie 10 times… in a row. They will remember playing Monopoly with you and how many properties you bought!
Your child will remember the times you spent doing stuff together!
I feel bad because my teen friend looks and feels lonely. It doesnât feel like she has a good support system and I hope she has a stronger one in the future.
Oh and parents… try to be more mindful of the time your child really needs with you.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Now That I have Time to Think
One of the benefits of COVID-19 is the time that I am taking to motivate myself.
#selfcare #morningroutine
Manners Matter
Have you ever seen something and wondered – ‘Did I just see that!’Â 
I was driving on the expressway and traffic was really congested. In broad daylight a man pulled over to the side of the road and proceeded to pull out his genitals and use the bathroom! WHAT?!? Seriously!?! I thought what kind of home training did he have?
In another situation, a woman begins to talk on her phone. You can hear the voice on the other end of the phone because she has her caller on speakerphone. Why?
I met with one of my clients last week, at a public playroom for kids, since she had her kiddos with her. The playroom reminded me of when my kids were invited to places to play with each other while parents got to know each other. The biggest difference between then and now is that a few of the parents were on their phones while their child played.
What she did next got my attention. Before allowing her son to play with the other kids, she reminded him of the ‘house rules‘. The house rules were her expectations of his behavior. “Play nice.” “Hitting is not a way to resolve a problem.” Her little guy was only 4 1/2 years old, but he was being taught how to handle conflict and remain mannerable! She said that she noticed that when he and another child had conflict, he would hit. She wanted to teach him other ways to resolve conflict besides hitting (or taking what he wanted). Manners do matter, maybe not to adults who urinate on the side of expressways or when talking on speakerphone in public places. 
Manners are behaviors that are taught either by how you are raised or what you see at home. If kids are taught to be mannerable by adults who are mannerable, then that’s what they are. If the environment where you live, permits misbehavior like disrespect, littering, fighting, road rage, temper tantrums, things like that; then manners donât matter to you.
But we live in a global society, where people from many cultures are expected to get along with each other. Manners matter because how we live our everyday lives spills over into how we treat each other and our neighbors. Respecting each other, protecting our environment and raising our children to do the same is what matters.
Interested in learning more about your familyâs dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring parenting relationship programs for Aging Parents, Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and their Sons or Fathers and Daughters.
Click Here to become a part of my parenting community.
C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Family Dynamics Strategist, Author & Speaker
The Good..The Bad..The Ugly
Even though my kids are adults, Iâm still an involved mom because I talk with one or all of them daily about the good, the bad, and the ugly in their lives. Itâs sort of like being on call. I find that I constantly manage my life and work (marriage too) around theirs. Moms who are reading this know what Iâm talking about if this happens to you: You have a perfect plan to complete the chapter for your next book and receive a call from your daughter who needs to talk. Do you tell her â âIâm sorry I have a deadline for this chapter and Iâll have to talk with you laterâ? Or, do you put on your mother hat, and listen to her talk out the 20th problem that is ruining her life?
Whatever you decide, stress sets in when you allow too many of your childrenâs problems and concerns to hijack your day, week, or month. Itâs difficult to say no to our kids, because we are so used to doing for them. However, since they are used to being cared for by us, it can become a challenge letting them grow into the wonderful, self-sufficient adults that we know they can be. Statistics show that 25% of parents are using their retirement to pay rent or groceries for their millennial children (21 years or older).
For Superwomen like me, here are some ideas on how to achieve less stress when it comes to your children:
- Take a moment to think about your answer and what you are committing to before you commit. For example if your son asks you to pay his car insurance (âJust for this month Momâ). Think about what it does to your budget. If you can afford it. What lessons does it teach him?
- Listen without advising the next time your daughter asks you what should she do about the guy that sheâs been dating for five years. (You’re not crazy about him anyway, so keeping your opinions to yourself will be very challenging.)
- Let the call go to voicemail when your child calls you for the 5th time today because she canât figure something out. I know this is really a tough one because who else will talk her through if not you. Give her some time to build her mental muscle (she is a superwoman in the making) and call her later. You will be surprised to see how she worked out her problem and matured a little more in the process.
Interested in learning more about your familyâs dynamics? Contact me – Ms. Parent Guru to receive information about my inspiring parenting programs for Aging Parents, Mothers and Daughters, Mothers and their Sons or Fathers and Daughters.
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C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Family Dynamics Strategist, Author & Speaker
Merry Christmas
I love the festivities of Christmas whether I’m addressing Christmas cards, buying gifts (I hate wrapping them), putting up decorations and getting the house ready for Christmas and Kwanzaa. I’ve to be careful in what I want out of the holidays – enjoyable time with my family versus a stressed out wife and mom who tries to do everything. My enthusiasm for trying to do everything, makes a wonderful time of year just another huge exhausting commitment!
As adults and parents, we know how hectic the holidays can be, however our excitement may not translate to our teens and adult children. Our kids may be finishing projects or exams and it just seems that Mom (or Dad) are ‘doing too much’.
Here are four tips to keep the holiday season in perspective and enjoyable for you and your children:
1) Don’t try to do everything yourself. Ask your kids and spouse for help. A great example is buying and dressing the Christmas tree. We love having a tree and even when I least feel like decorating the tree, one of our kids will help, takeover the job entirely or talk to me until I’ve finished ‘dressing’ the tree.
2)Â Relax your expectations. You may get push-back from your college kids if you expect them to get up (early) on a Saturday morning and go shopping. Early Saturdays may be a great time to take the younger kids to see Santa Claus or make cookies. You can still have family time, without the stress and attitudes.
3)Â Take some time for you. If sleeping late on a Saturday or Sunday morning is not possible, then go workout, slip out to yoga class (while everyone is asleep) or take yourself shopping and enjoy being in the stores without someone constantly calling your name.
4) Do something different this year. Consider starting a new tradition with your family. It makes getting ready for the holidays so much more exciting. As a kid, my family drove through different neighborhoods looking at Christmas decorations. That was so much fun because my siblings, parents and I were all together! As a parent, my kids and I took the train to Chicago and watched the Lighting Ceremony at the Magnificent Mile. Oh boy! Was that fun!! Depending on the age of your children, let them help decide what new and exciting family activity you will try for the holidays!
To make this time even more special, we’ve prepared a wonderful Christmas gift to help you get ready for the Holiday spirit! Quantities are limited! To receive your Christmas gift, send me an email with your name & mailing address. I will send you my very special gift!
Quantities are limited so email me right away!
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C. Lynn Williams, #MsParentguru
Family Dynamics Strategist, Coach & Author
Staying Sane While Raising Your Teens 
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