Isn't the technology of today is amazing?! Between the speed of Instant Messengers~ or IM'ing, the convince of cell phones, parenting has come a long way from when parents had to make three or four phone calls to track down their TWeen for the simplest request "Bring home some milk?" to the infamous, "Your late, couldn't you have called?"
These scenario's from not so long ago have all but died out with today's many wireless communication devices. No sooner does a new device come out,our kids seem to have it down These mini-adults who can't seem to remember to take out the trash or keep their rooms clean, yet have the intelligence and focus to create secret languages and codes around these devices.
With their objective being privacy and the benefit, or fun part is we don't understand one bit of it.
I have discovered the secret to win this battle; or at the very least, how to make it work for you vs, fighting the tide of neverending electronic toys& gadgets.That seem to come out faster then we can keep up with what's new & hot that our tween is craving.
Whether its cell phones, pagers, or the latest craze~ called a Blackberry,They all want one ~ and who doesn't?
Of course not that you go out and get them each one however thru another parent or a well meaning grandparent for say, perhaps as a graduation present. Once they have one, you can count on them eating, sleeping with it, doing everything but bathe with it, it will be their lifeline, or so it will seem... The only natural question seemed to me~
How can we best use these devices to assist us in our parenting? To support us in communicating better with our teens
1. Get their screen names, learn their email address, phone numbers etc...
The first thing you need to know is when it comes to the internet, Kids can get free accounts anywhere, all they need is the address they use with you, they just have to click back once and they are all set~ from there they can use that address, to register for many other free address services. The key to this is to simply tell your child it will be for emergencies and you don't need the password. I can't promise you they will give them all up, but enough to give you the ability to connect with them. They often use provactive names or numbers, don't act shocked when they tell you or better yet just ask them to write it for you and don't even give it a second glance
~ till they leave of course.
2. Learn how to connect with each device from your devices, program quick call features, put their names in your IM, and then actually practice sending them text messages.
This may seem like silly advice, however when & if a true emergency arises, you and your child will become proficient not only in using the skills, and having worked out faster out but you will also create a language of your own, with your own words and expressions, inside jokes, and more importantly, your own codes for emergencies. --
3. Learn how to use one device to connect to another, I have used my cell to IM a child who was home, online, tying up the phone in a family emergency, I was able to connect with him to clear the phone line and get the number to the specialist whose number was only in 1 spot - 45 miles away at home on the refrigerator, 2 FEET from my son. Had I not known how to connect I would have had to drive all that way home to get the number.
Perhaps this isn't a life saving example but I'm sure you can use it to imagine a situation where your child need's you, and it could be life or death.
I hope these three keys helped, If we can do anything to keep them closer to us,the better we can communicate with them in their own comfort zone the closer we can get to understanding them and more of the challenges that our kids face with today's technology.
Isn't the piece of mind you will have, worth this small investment?
Connie Carpenter is a Life, Family Coach who specializes in supporting parents with tweens. Having 4 children of her own the trials & errors of partenting are all to familar. Through a through assesments ,conversation we can determine the perfect personalized plan for your family. Learn the tools to not only restore your family dynamic, promote an effective communication stratagy, you'll also create a bond that will last a lifetime. Don't wait! Life is too short to not use every available reasource - visit http://promptcarecoaching.com and see what she can do for you!
cleaning service near Bannockburn ..It's been raining for a week and the kids and... Read More
Teri was 5. As younger siblings do, she looked up... Read More
Let's face it: raising children can be quite the adventure.... Read More
One of the questions I ask in parenting presentations is... Read More
Do you struggle to get your child to bed at... Read More
We begin forming healthy habits at a young age. With... Read More
It's sometimes difficult to find ways to be involved with... Read More
The internet is a dangerous place for your children. Don't... Read More
The Greatest Gifts in Life, which are always created for... Read More
Sitting by her Pinocchio lamp, she smiled at me as... Read More
Do your children have a McChildhood? Do they experience the... Read More
I have a bit of a different response than most... Read More
"It takes a village to raise a child" is more... Read More
For most children, it is easy to learn to read... Read More
Grandparents, what better way to stay close to your grown... Read More
Once, as a Learning Support Teacher, I made my way... Read More
I WAS AMAZEDI could hardly believe what I was hearing.... Read More
Prenatal intelligence, also known as fetal intelligence, has become a... Read More
For the first year or two of life outside the... Read More
Do you want to create a deeper, more loving relationship... Read More
Should a parent give a child a tangible reward when... Read More
I am a dad. I have been now for over... Read More
One of the basic issues we need to understand is... Read More
What is hard for parentsLetting them learn from their mistakes.Trying... Read More
Research has shown that the present generation of children worldwide... Read More
pet-friendly home cleaners Mundelein ..Sometime the most effective training tool in rapidly accelerating the... Read More
There are many parenting styles. Yours may be very different... Read More
John Bishop's Goal Setting for Students.comParents ? Minimize Homework Hassles?It's... Read More
"Setting the alarm on Sunday mornings is inhuman?..God should know... Read More
Should a parent give a child a tangible reward when... Read More
Having been a parent educator and a PBS consultant for... Read More
Software for parental control is a useful tool, if applied... Read More
Summer Survival The... Read More
Search for Assurance: The Power of BelongingThe job hunt is... Read More
Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes around the brain... Read More
A friend phoned her neighbor, complaining about the wafts of... Read More
Do you struggle to get your child to bed at... Read More
Have you ever watched your teenager make a mistake (that... Read More
When my daughter was born, I must admit there was... Read More
1 "Law of Belonging": The greatest need of teenagers (after... Read More
Parents, when you help your children learn to read, you... Read More
It used to strike me as odd - but really,... Read More
In the movie, Finding Nemo, Nemo's father, Marlyn asks the... Read More
A sure way to double the joys of parenthood is... Read More
When my firstborn arrived into this serene and peaceful household,... Read More
Under the "No Child Left Behind Act," public schools whose... Read More
The Theme from MASHI flipped the button on the remote... Read More
Ok. So you're a dad to be. If you're like... Read More
Each child carries a unique picture of the self, shaped... Read More
Do you remember how you first learned the alphabet? I... Read More
Parenting |