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Life, Parenting

Dealing with Teenage Troubles When You’re a Dad

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When it comes to teenage troubles it makes you a little anxious just thinking about it. You have always been the fun loving, care free, laid back Dad that loves to have a laugh and a joke with the kids all the time. Now you might have to deal with some more serious matters and you’re not quite sure how to approach the situation. You feel like your job is supporting everyone in the family and making their lives easier, so this is your time to put your skills to work. It is time to listen to your teenager’s problems and help them to find a solution. Whether they are battling a serious illness such as depression or they are simply rebelling at school. Take charge as their father and help them through the rocky patch towards a brighter future.

Seek Professional Advice

If you have noticed a dramatic change in your teenager’s day to day behavior and you are genuinely worried about their health, then you may need to turn to a professional. There are many reputable teen treatment centers out there that will help your child conquer their mental health issues, self-esteem problems and ongoing anxieties. You might not be able to pinpoint the exact problem yourself, but an expert will be able to figure out whether it is anything from bipolar disorder to social media addictions. There is never any harm in seeking professional help, as long as it is going to benefit your child’s health in the long run.

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Give a Man’s Perspective

Sometimes a teenager just wants their dad’s point of view on a certain issue. Whether it’s your teenage daughter going through heartbreak or your son is having trouble with his self-esteem. Tell them what you went through when you were young and give comparisons. They will appreciate your honesty and will hopefully be able to see your personal side of their problems. When you are a man it can be very easy to keep a strong exterior at all times, but if you show a little vulnerability around your teens it shows them that it’s okay to be upset from time to time.

Don’t Lash Out

If your teenager comes to you with a problem or a mistake that they have made, then it is important not to get too angry with them. As long as it isn’t a major crime or serious mistake, then you can afford to be a little lenient with them. Remain calm and collected and simply explain that you are a little disappointed with them. This trick works a lot better than blowing a fuse!

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Listen to Their Feelings

When you are a parent it is easy to assume that you are always right in every situation; you are older and wiser so your opinion counts more, right? This isn’t always the case, so make sure you don’t approach every situation with this kind of attitude. Your kids might feel strongly about a certain situation and it important to hear them out. Listen to their feelings and allow them to have an opinion on things. You have raised an intelligent and strong-willed kid they are always trying to debate with you!

Give Them Space

You know what it is like to be a teenager who wants nothing to do with their parents for a good couple of years; every moody teen goes through it so don’t be too alarmed. Give them a little space and don’t force them to have open conversations with you. If you play it cool like them, they will feel like it’s their decision to come and talk to you about their problems. Keep your door open, but don’t make it too obvious.

Find a Workable Solution

If your teenager comes to you with a big problem, then you have already won half of the battle. When they open up to you and tell you what’s going on in their lives it makes it so much easier for you as a parent to deal with the situation. Stay calm and talk them through all of their options. Perhaps they have had a falling out with their close friend at school. You could offer them a number of options and leave it up to them to figure it out. They will be grateful for your help and you will also be showing them how to face up to their problems alone from time to time.

Speak to their School

When your teen starts behaving strangely or is coming to you with a number of worrying problems, then it might be a good idea to let the school know. If their teachers aren’t aware of their ongoing stresses and strains they might be adding to the issues unknowingly. Make sure their close and trusted teachers are aware of what they are going through, so that they can alleviate the stress or advise them on how to fix the problem.

Offer Incentives

Bribery is never a good idea for teenagers as they will often be able to see right through it. However, if you know your kid is super intelligent but simply isn’t getting the grades they deserve, then you need to do something about it. Treat them and reward them when they do really well in a test; challenge them to a head to head in mathematics and see if they beat you. You can subtly offer incentives for them to do well at school, without openly offering presents and bribes.

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You might have been through the same teenage troubles when you were a youngster so make sure you are always understanding of their problems. If you think you need to take further action and seek professional support, then don’t be ashamed to ask. Every child is different and it isn’t always a reflection on your parenting if they grow up with a mental illness or disorder. Your job is to always be there for them and support them through the tricky times. You are an amazing Dad, so never doubt your actions; everybody in your family truly appreciates you.

Life, Parenting

Dad’s Guide To Supporting Everyone In The Family

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Every good Dad wants to provide for his family, but it isn’t always easy. However, things become infinitely harder if you fail to focus on the most crucial factors. Over-complicating things is never the answer.

Quite frankly, simplicity is the key. Follow the simple four-step plan below, and you’ll be sure to regain control over the situation. Those “World’s Best Dad” mugs will be on their way to you in no time.

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Step 1: Look After Yourself

No parent is ever going to put themselves first. Nonetheless, it’s imperative that you learn to take care of yourself. Otherwise, it’ll be almost impossible to provide loved ones with the support that they deserve.

Without necessarily getting in the shape of your life, taking care of your body with nutrition and exercise is vital. Meanwhile, regular sleep patterns and maintaining a social life will bring an array of benefits. Physically and mentally.

A happier dad is a better dad for all the family. Not least because you’ll be able to offer greater support.

Step 2: Help The Kids Grow

As a loving Dad, bringing up your children in the right way is the greatest job you have. While many of those elements come naturally, building a winning plan of action is still crucial.

Promoting a healthy lifestyle at an early age is vital. Meanwhile, encouraging the kids to grow into brilliant adults is a responsibility that you cannot ignore. Life skills and social skills are just as crucial as the academic ones. Do not forget about it.

Financial support and similar items do matter. But nothing matches the importance of letting them become better people. That’s the greatest success of any parent.

Step 3: Work With Mom

Parenting is tough work, especially when you are juggling other life commitments. Nonetheless, you can make things a lot easier on yourself simply by working together as a team.

As a man, doing the house chores might not come naturally. However, helping out with a few jobs around the home can make life a lot easier. Give your partner some time to relax and recharge the batteries. When she’s happier, the whole family are happier.

Besides, you can use an array of technology to cheat your way to a tidier home. This will give both of you a better opportunity to spend time together as a family.

Step 4: Don’t Forget Nan & Granddad

Just like you’re trying to do your best for the kids now, your parents spent years doing the best for you. Now is the time to repay them by doing all that you can to make life a little more comfortable during their retirement years.

An array of aging in place services will allow them to maintain a sense of independence while getting older. When coupled with regular time with yourself and the kids, retirement will truly be the golden years.

Grandparents are crucial members of the family and should be cherished at all times. Do this, and you won’t go far wrong.

Life, Parenting

Dads, Here’s How To Grow Successful Adults

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As dads, one of the things we’re most worried about is our kids getting into trouble. It’s falling into the wrong crowd, not doing so great at school and not being happy. That’s right up their with the big dad-worries. But another major worry – and one we tend to admit less – is our kids not doing awesome things when they become adults.

Every dad wants his son or daughter to become a successful adult. It’s what drives us when we nurture them. The problem is: there is no blueprint, guidebook or recipe for raising successful children. It sucks but it’s the truth. The sucky-truth.

That said, there are certain things we can do as parents to help our kids grow into successful humans, and these are some of them:

  1. Make Them Do Chores

The reason behind this is simple: if your kid isn’t doing their chores, it means someone else is doing it for them, and that doesn’t benefit anyone in the equation. That doesn’t just mean your child is absolved on doing their chores, it also means they miss out on the valuable lesson of why the work has to be done, how to best do the work and how contribution helps everyone.

  1. Social Skills Are Everything

It is beyond us to think the education system is still geared toward a bygone time where people left school, got jobs in factories and were made to work like robots. That’s not how life works anymore. As the experts at ej4.com will attest, success in the workplace depends on outstanding teamwork. Life is about collaboration, it’s about helping others, it’s about communicating your way to success, understanding other people’s feelings and resolving issues as a team. All of this comes from good social skills.

  1. Math Is A Must-Have

There is an argument to say algebra is nonsense and there is a little voice in the back of our mind that mocks the teachers that used to say, “you can’t use a calculator because in real-life you won’t always have one on you” (thank you Apple), but there is no denying that math is still an essential skill to develop. As a researcher by the name of Greg Duncan states, “The paramount importance of early math skills — of beginning school with a knowledge of numbers, number order, and other rudimentary math concepts — is one of the puzzles coming out of the study”. Another thing worse mentioning is that early math development is highly linked to reading abilities too.

  1. Praise Effort, Don’t Fear Failure

There is an undeniable danger in being scared of failure, something that professional people call a fixed-mindset. Luckily, the growth-mindset challenges this by thriving on the challenge and seeing failure as part of the journey to success, as opposed to evidence of un-intelligence. This is what you need to be reinforcing in your children and the best way to do that is by praising their effort, something that will encourage them to keep growing and learning.