One of the things that I have noticed as an educator is that children and young people are completely addicted to technology. They don't take time out to speak to one another fact to face anymore and they definitely don't play the kinds of games that we used to play when we were kids. The games I'm talking about were Jacks, Tic-Tac-Toe, Hopscotch, etc. Lately, my husband and I have been trying to limit technology in our home. Since we now have a teen and a pre-teen, they would rather spend most of their time playing video games when we are home. While we do reward them with time to play these games, we've also been going back to basics by making them turn off their gadgets in lieu of playing some good old-fashioned games as a family. When I was younger, one of my favorite games was Tic-Tac-Toe because it was so easy to play and because you could basically use any surface as a game board and many items can be used as game pieces. That … [Read more...]
Experience Indoor Extreme Sports! @indoorextreme #IndoorExtremeSports #Ad
If you are the parent of a teenager, you know how difficult it can be to plan a birthday party for them. When they were little, it was easy to get them excited about a cartoon themed celebration and some goodie bags. When they get older, it's not that easy to plan an event that will make them happy. Last month, my son's fifteenth birthday was coming around and I was picking my brain for weeks trying to figure out how we were going to commemorate his special day. I found out about Indoor Extreme Sports through an online search and I knew immediately that I had found just the experience to make me cool mother of the year in my son's eyes for the rest of the year! Indoor Extreme Sports is the home of New York City’s only indoor Paintball/ReBall centers, host to the world’s most unique Laser Tag experiences featuring 5 Adrenaline Pumping fields to choose from! We run NYC’s first and only Archery Tag Centers. They have two Locations – Long Island City, Queens and their New … [Read more...]
Teach Your Teen Independence With Amazon! @Amazon #Ad
*This is a sponsored campaign created in collaboration with Amazon and The Motherhood. All opinions are 100% my own. My son started high school this year and I have been using this time to start teaching him real life skills that he will be able to use as he gets older. This has included teaching him how to use a debit card when shopping in a store as well as going together to the bank to make deposits. Although he will always be my baby, it's important that I encourage him to be more independent because one day he will be a grown man. Recently, he shared with me that he needed a book for his English class and I realized that it was the perfect opportunity to introduce him to the benefits of his own Amazon login. Since I have a Prime membership I can share some of the benefits of Prime with my teen at no extra cost. That includes access to: Prime Shipping: Unlimited fast, Free Two-Day Shipping on more than 50 million items Prime Video: Unlimited access to tens … [Read more...]
Help Your Teenager Deal With Peer Pressure
Teenagers seem to be faced with so much more today, then I ever faced as a kid. It’s a tough world out there. Unfortunately, there are teenagers out there who won’t do the right thing. Since they refuse to do the right thing, they will drag other teens down with them. Here is how to help your teenager deal with peer pressure. Communicate with your teenager Your life will always go a lot more smoothly whenever you communicate with your teenager. Not only do you want to communicate with them, you want to have an open-door policy for them. It’s much better to have your teen come talk to you than give into peer pressure. Trust your teen to make the right choice Every adult on this planet has made a bad choice and a lot of those choices were made as teenagers. AS a parent, you have vowed to never let your teenager make the same mistakes you did. GREAT! Now that you have talked to your teen, trust them to make the right choice. If they will be in a situation where you … [Read more...]
Is Your Teen Ready For A Debit Card?
One of the hardest jobs in the world is being a parent. You want to raise your kids to be healthy, responsible, productive, independent and happy adults. In a world where everyone is looking out for themselves, it is important to teach your kids integrity and independent thinking that isn't easily swayed by peer pressure. When it comes to giving your teen responsibilities, there are some key factors that can help you know when they are ready. Here are some things to help you know if your teen is ready for a debit card. #1. Are they working for their own money? If your teen is in high school and able to work a job, they may be ready for a debit card. When a teen works for their own money, it helps them to know the value of a dollar. The problem with a debit card is that it makes it really easy to spend money. The other problem is you have to keep a close watch on your account balance, so you don't go below your balance. #2. Are they … [Read more...]
Disney With A Tween Or Teen
Planning a Disney family vacation with a tween or teen who is not too excited about the trip can take some of the wind right out of your sails. Even though it may seem like a place for younger children they truly have a lot to offer to all ages, including older children and teenagers. With some planning, input from your teenager, and a knowledge of what the parks have to offer you can make sure everyone has a great time, including the sullen 16 year old. I am focusing mainly on the Magic Kingdom as that is where we had our last visit but there is a lot to do within the Disney Parks. Magic Kingdom Freedom- Give your teen a little freedom, depending on the age and responsibility level of course. Even though it may be a family trip consider giving them at least a few hours off in the park on their own. They are more likely to come back together to meet up for pictures and meals with a smile on their face if given a little leeway. Behind the scenes … [Read more...]
Boost Your Teen’s Confidence With Clearasil! #ClearasilMom #MC @Clearasil #Sponsored
*I participated in an Influencer Activation on behalf of Influence Central for Clearasil. I received product samples to facilitate my review as well as a promotional item to thank me for my participation. My tween son is always on-the-go. He has basketball practice twice a week as well as at least two basketball games per week. As if that wasn't enough, he is also involved in his school's drama team and participates in a traveling basketball team that competes out of state during the Spring. As he is getting closer to officially becoming a teen, I have noticed some subtle changes in his skin. Not only is it oilier, but I have seen some slight acne rear its head from time to time. Both his father and I have always had oily skin and dealt with acne during adolescence so we are trying to instill in him the importance of keeping his face clean at all times to prevent breakouts. We know how embarrassing acne can have a negative effect on a teenager's self-esteem and … [Read more...]
Monitor Your Child’s Mobile Phone Or Internet Usage! @WebSafetyInc #Ad
As many of you know, my eleven-year old son just recently got his own mobile phone less than a year ago. I really wasn't considering even getting him one until he started playing basketball for his school team. Due to regular practices during the week and games on the weekends, it became important for his father and I to be able to communicate with him to find out when we should head out to pick him up. Before we even purchased the phone, we had a long family meeting where we established the rules around him having a phone and asked him to commit to abiding by those rules at all times. Although our son has done a pretty good job of using his new phone responsibly, there have been a few instances where I had to use the parental controls to limit the access to some of the websites that he was visiting. Many of them weren't overtly inappropriate but I felt the humor or content wasn't a good fit for a boy his age. As a parent and educator, I'm also worried about the threat … [Read more...]
We Attended The Toyota Teen Driver Safety Clinic! #TeenDrive365 @Toyota #Ad
*This is part of a sponsored campaign with Toyota. However, all opinions expressed are my own. Last week, my tween and I had the pleasure of attending a FREE “Teen Driver Safety Clinic” for teens and their parents at the CityWorld Toyota dealer here in the Bronx. It was a wonderful opportunity for me to demonstrate to my son how critical it is to learn as much as we can about the vehicles that we drive, the roads that we use, and to teach him what a serious responsibility being a driver is. Toyota dealers in the New York and New Jersey Tri-state area are hosting a series of FREE TeenDrive365 Safety Clinics in the months of September and October. The experience includes a safe driving simulator along with a classroom learning session that covers defensive driving tips, car operations, car safety features, and basic maintenance. Toyota understands that the driver is the best safety device in any car and want to teach teens that, once they get behind the wheel, it's up … [Read more...]
Keep Teens Safe: Free Teen Drive Safety Clinics In NY And NJ! #TeenDrive365 @Toyota #Ad
*This is part of a sponsored campaign with Toyota. However, all opinions expressed are my own. As a parent of a Tween here in New York City, I know that it is only a matter of time before he is old enough to want to go and get his driving permit. Although I understand his excitement at being able drive and asserting his independence, I worry about him driving safely in an urban environment. I was a teenager once so I understand how peer pressure and the fact that teenagers think they are invincible can be a dangerous combination when it comes to driving. Looking back on when I started driving, I wish someone would have taught me how to do some basic upkeep on my car. It would have been great to know how to check the oil and possibly change a tire back when I was driving around in my old jalopy. It's actually quite embarrassing how many times I became stranded on the side of the road and had to call my parents to come and pick me up because something went … [Read more...]
