Tips And Tools Of Communication For Parents With Teens

By Nigel Lane

In some respects, you do not know what parenting is until your children hit their teens. It's a whole new ball game. All of a sudden you realize that there is this huge gap between you and your kid and the more you try to fix it, the more it seems to broaden. Communication between you and your child seems to be dead. These are probably the toughest years!!

So what do you do to make it better?

Here are a few tips:

• Try and get into their heads. Do not assume that because you do not like something, your teen does not like it too.

• Remember to always be truthful to your teen. No matter how old your child grows, he/she looks at you as an example. If you want your teen to be truthful, you need to first be truthful.
Honesty is the best policy you can instil in to them

• Do not jump into advising; first listen to what your teen has to say. Be empathetic.

• Your job during their teens is to spur and encourage them. If you are one who keeps criticizing, they are never going to want to communicate with you.

• You need to be available for them whenever they need you. They may want to talk in the middle of the night, it is important that you talk to them when they are willing to talk.

• If you are wrong, apologize. It takes a big person to apologize. Your teen will respect you much more for it.

• Don't wait for your teen to ask you for help, sense it and then do your best to help them

• Respect your teen. Treat him/her like an adult. Give then their space.

• Remember to use words like "please", "thank you" and "I love you" frequently with your teens.

For a free special report with over 50 Parenting Tips just go to www.awesomeparents.com Nigel has met hundreds of parents and helped them to become more awesome than they were.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Nigel_Lane

How To Get UnStuck - Easy, Simple, Effective Tools To Finding A New Path

By Camille Strate

It's a bold new world out there. More people are looking for options to make money, live simpler lives, explore new paths, etc. What's the reason for all this unrest? Maybe it's because the globe is smaller; with the ever-growing use of technology we are now able to communicate with people on the other side of the planet with ease and speed. Maybe it's about a paradigm shift. Folks are getting hip to the "New Age" movement and want more from life in general. Or perhaps it's simply something about the way the planets are aligned! Who knows?

Bottom line is, if you're feeling restless and itching to make some changes, but still haven't DONE anything about it, then you're "stuck". While there are a great many things you can do to get "unstuck"., here are just a couple that are simple, easy, and effective.

First off, get yourself outdoors. I mean it. Go out and sit on a beach or walk in the woods or hike up a mountain. Turn off your cell phone, leave your watch on your dresser and just go. Take in the sounds of nature and let your mind go. For some folks, this exercise can be a bit unnerving at first, but if you stick with it, it's your ticket to getting "unstuck". The more remote your location, the better. Best of all would be to be in a spot that's completely void of other humans (and the noises they make like car alarms and cell phones and screaming children). Once there you will be absolutely amazed at what you might hear. We all have an inner "guidance system" and the best way to access that guidance system is to get away from all the noise and all the people and all the distractions.

Listen to the sounds of your surroundings. Birds or waves or rain on the leaves or whatever it might be. Allow these sounds to massage your ears. Allow yourself to just BE. Listen to you gut. Trust that you're safe. Leave the rest of your brain clutter behind and just soak it all in. The more you s-t-r-e-t-c-h, the better off you are. Go on....turn off the computer and get your Self outdoors. Come on! Just try it.

Another little "exercise" is one of my faves and I use it with many of my clients when I hear dialog like "I can't..." or "I don't know how..." or "But what if....?" These are phrases that KEEP us stuck and they need to be eliminated NOW. So, here's what I suggest:

If you have a camera, no matter where you live (city, country, condo, ranch, whatever), take your camera and go for a walk. I usually suggest folks commit to an hour, but it can certainly be more if you like. Point is to take a LEISURELY walk and snap some pics of things that stand out.
It could be a flower growing out of the sidewalk or a candy wrapper on an otherwise pristine lawn or a bright red maple leaf sitting alone on a car hood. Doesn't matter. Just something that catches your eye because it IS out of place. Don't judge. Don't presume. Just walk and keep your eyes open . Snap a picture of whatever catches your glance.

Once you've taken 10 or so pictures, go home, load them onto your computer and then write something about how you felt when you took the pic OR how you feel while you now look at it on your screen. The idea is to step outside (literally and figuratively) and see what else your eyes see. Sort of the difference between sight and vision. This exercise has proven to be one of the most effective (with my clients) tools for finding a new way of THINKING. It also seems to light some fires of creativity on many levels. People are always surprised at the end results once they've tried this for the first time, and often it becomes a habit for them when they ARE feeling stuck. Give it a try. It's fun!

The last suggestion I'll share is one that takes a bit more time and requires transportation, but is also a very liberating exercise. First, pack a cooler with some sandwiches, drinks, fruit, etc. Throw a blanket and warm jacket in the car. TURN OFF YOUR CELL PHONE (you may like to take it with you in case of 'emergency', but turn that sucker off!). Now, put the cooler in the car, go fill up the gas tank and just DRIVE. Drive out of town away from traffic and familiar scenery.
Drive up to the mountains or down to the river or out to the country. Just drive. Leave the tunes turned off, open the window and JUST DRIVE. When you get to a spot that looks too pretty to pass, pull over, break out the cooler and have yourself a little picnic. Just you and nature. Sit for an hour or so and take it all in. (if you remembered your camera, take some pictures). When you've had your fill, get in your car and go home. Simple? You betcha. But when was the last time you did it? When was the last time you drove just to drive, with no destination or schedule or task to accomplish? As silly as this may sound, it is a wonderful thing to do and it will provide lots of insight, if you ALLOW it.

I realize that none of these little exercises are deeply profound or even new ideas. But more often than not it's the simplest things that have the most life-altering affect. And I'm willing to bet that the majority of folks have forgotten what it's like to do any of these things. Simple, easy, and effective. IF you will give them a try.

Camille Strate is an author, critter-keeper and entrepeneur who has spent her life in search of the perfect pasture. She is a staunch believer in the "Pay It Forward" philosophy, and her business is a reflection of this belief. Marketing Personal Development products is one of her passions; she loves seeing other people empower themselves and find their true paths. Her latest book, "Whispers" will be released sometime in Spring of 2008.
http://www.genuineintentions.com or visit my blog at http://joyizachoice.blogspot.com/

Having the Right Tools - Sometimes it Is About the Bike

By Sharon Teitelbaum

For some of us, the internal challenges we face have an external, physical, and symbolic form.

A writer I know wanted to take her freelance writing business to the next level. She had been making do with an unreliable computer, spending time re-creating files that her machine lost, losing momentum while learning to use her husband's computer, and generally tolerating the great frustration of not having a dependable key tool. And then she crossed the threshold and arranged to have a newer computer for her exclusive use at her home office. To do so required that she take herself and her work more seriously. The new computer became a constant physical reminder of her commitment to her work. Plus she finally had a reliable tool. Her work jumped forward and continues to do so.

A client recently was anticipating a difficult meeting of her non-profit board. She worked with me to prepare on several levels for the meeting, which turned out well. She later told me that she had also used one of her secret power tools: she wore "a great suit."

Several years ago I rode in a charity cycling event, riding 170 miles over two days. At some point during my training, I realized that to actually finish this endurance event (which was a huge stretch for me), I would need a better bike than the one I was using: a 30-pound, 13-year-old hybrid that had belonged to one of my daughters. I had to put my money where my mouth was and spend real money on a bike for myself.

Lance Armstrong's excellent book about surviving cancer and winning the Tour de France, It's Not About the Bike, is about the internal challenges he had to face.

For some of us, the internal challenges we face have an external, physical, and symbolic form. Having the right tool, whether a computer, a suit, a bike, or something else, requires a certain level of belief in oneself and a willingness to support oneself that is self-reinforcing.

I encourage you to authorize yourself to buy the equipment, services, and other help you need to support you in doing what you do.

Copyright 2006 Sharon Teitelbaum. All rights reserved.
Sharon Teitelbaum, author of "Getting Unstuck Without Coming Unglued: Restoring Work-Life Balance," Master Certified Coach, and motivational speaker, helps high achievers re-claim their work-life balance. Her interactive coaching process provides a powerful catalyst towards greater career and life satisfaction. Sharon's work has been featured in national publications including The New York Times, Forbes.com, and Working Mother Magazine. Visit Sharon's website at http://www.stcoach.com and subscribe to "Strategies of Change" to receive practical tips for work-life success.

Time Management Tools - Running Companies On Hot

By Dr. Larry Baker

You, too, can create a company that runs on HOT. My nearly 30 years of consulting and executive coaching have demonstrated executives who create company cultures that run on HOT have more personal growth, positive self-images, and so do their employees. Their companies run smoother, and executives and employees have higher productivity and waste less time and other resources.

Now, you are asking, "what is HOT?" HOT is easier to describe than create. HOT stands for Honesty, Openness and Trust ... See what I mean - easier to describe than create.

You create HOT by ensuring that you and your fellow executives are Honest and Open: always telling employees the truth, regardless of its impact. Employees are more resilient when receiving and coping with bad news than you may think, and they deserve to hear the good news.

If you will Trust yourself and your employees enough to be Honest and Open, feel assured your employees will Trust you enough to accept the truth and give you their support. They will reciprocate by Trusting you enough to be Honest and Open with you - give you important information you might otherwise never receive. The more they Trust you, the more they will respect you.

Many bosses wish they did not have to worry about employees' insidious behavior and potentially devastating acts of omission and passive resistance. They and/or previous bosses in their companies have not understood companies that run on HOT do not have employees who feel the need to "get even."

Employees do not "play games" with bosses they Trust and respect. HOT begets HOT.
Most important, being Honest and Open enhances your self-image; and Trusting your employees has the same positive effect on their self-images. Ultimately, everyone finds it easier to be Honest, Open, and Trust each other. All run on HOT!

Take action now - today - to make a previous "half truth" a "whole truth" or reveal an non-communicated program or agenda. Start a company e-zine and use it to put important employee, company and industry news in your employees E-mail, routinely; and post the E-zine on bulletin boards for those employees not having computers. Position employees to participate, to be Honest and Open with their information and ideas. Demonstrate you Trust them. Expand their involvement in strategic, operating and performance planning; problem solving; and customer relations. Then, make today the first day, but not the only day, that you run your company on HOT.

For nearly 30 years, Dr. Larry Baker has been an internationally recognized consultant, coach, speaker, author and publisher. His articles, books, booklets, tape albums, movie scripts and personal assessment surveys cover many Time Management topics, including strategic, operational, performance planning and organizational design and structure.

It is not a sin to have problems with Honesty, Openness and Trust, but it is to keep them! For personal development and higher productivity from using better Time Management skills, tips, tools and strategies to help you create better employee relationships and gain more quality hours each day, go to ...

http://www.manage-time-better.com