Placed into group settings, with responsible adult male leaders, these teen boys have much less difficulty transitioning into adulthood. It also takes of a lot of the pressure off the often overworked mothers.
Babies, Kids And Teenagers
Role Models for Your Teen
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there is only a limited amount of time left to
influence them and get them started in life in
the right direction.
The teen years are a critical time for role
models in your children's lives. Often you will
find teens have a hard time talking to their
in the closest families, teens often feel more comfortable talking to another trusted adult about some of the things going on in their lives.
Of course you would prefer your teen would go to an adult when they need to talk something important out, instead of relying on their friends who may not have the insight an older, more experienced adult would have.
Obviously you have no real control over who your
teen goes to for advice, but there are a number of
ways you can steer your teen in the right direction.
The best chance your teen has for interacting with
other adults is in extracurricular activities. There
are all kinds of activities your teen can be involved
with, here are some that come to mind: church
youth group, scouts, sports, music, school clubs,
community service, just to name a few. Personally
I don't encourage parents to involve their teens in
so many activities that it leads to burnout for both
the parents and the teen, but carefully selected
activities led by good and capable leaders will
enrich your teen's life in a way few things can, and
will increase the likelihood that your teen will
establish a relationship with one of the group leaders.
And don't forget, you are a role model too. Get involved in the lives of your teen's friends, or volunteer to help in a group activity in some way, even if only occasionally. There are teens out there who really need to hear what you have to say.
Rachel Paxton is a freelance writer and mom who is the author of What's for Dinner?, an e-cookbook containing more than 250 quick easy dinner ideas. For more recipes, organizing tips, home decorating, crafts, holiday hints, and more, visit Creative Homemaking at http://www.creativehomemaking.com.
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