Teens

Mama J on January 19th, 2009

Given that many of you will be drawn to the presidential inauguration on Tuesday, I’m posting today and I’ll leave it up until Wednesday’s post. You’ve all probably heard of tough love before, but what does it mean?  Does it mean yelling at our kids?  Does it mean pulling the no-flex authority trip, or copping […]

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Mama J on December 9th, 2008

One piece of parenting advice that has stuck with me through the years is the phrase “wait thirty days.”  I don’t remember the source, but I’ll explain why it had to be someone very wise.   Does your young lady rush in the door after school, proclaiming her need for the latest music, book, toy, fashion, […]

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Mama J on November 12th, 2008

Guest Blogger: Jacquelyn B. Fletcher Studies show that girls often exhibit more anxiety than boys do after a remarriage. This is an important fact for stepparents to keep in mind. While conducting interviews of stepmoms across the country, I was told more than once that stepmothers were concerned that instead of bonding over shared interests […]

Continue reading about Compassion Beats Competition

Mama J on November 11th, 2008

As my mother is aging she has moved closer by and I’m spending more and more time with her.  Something I’ve become sharply aware of in recent years is that she’s one of my biggest fans. Sometimes I don’t need this kind of validation, but who am I to deny a little praise? She frequently […]

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Mama J on October 23rd, 2008

If we ride gracefully away from the election battlefield to view the election from a higher hilltop, we may realize what an opportunity any presidential election presents for the young women in our lives. It’s an exciting time, one that provokes a lot of questions about who is voting for whom and why.  Elementary and […]

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Mama J on October 21st, 2008

I went horseback riding this weekend, catching what is possibly the last of the blazing gold aspen on our Northern Colorado ridges before the trees turn and the snow starts to fall.  On the ride, I enjoyed the company of several teenagers, all of whom fell into a respectful silence as we journeyed across meadows and through […]

Continue reading about How Different are International Teens?

Mama J on September 17th, 2008

Your turn:  Are you a believer in texting teens and young adults? Why or why not?  Leave your comment at the end of this post. Usually Wednesday’s posts are devoted to stepparenting discussions, but since I covered National Stepfamily Day yesterday I thought I’d pick a topic that could apply to parents and stepparents alike. […]

Continue reading about Texting with Teens — it Works!