Category: Parenting

Is your teen ready for the freedom and responsibility of driving? Teens are more likely to crash than adults, as they have less experience behind the wheel and are more susceptible to peer pressure. Today, we’ll go through some ways you can help your teen become a safe driver.

Before Driver’s Ed and study guides, teaching your teen about cars and safe driving habits begins with you emulating them yourself.

Be the Driver You Want Them To Be

Be mindful of what you are showing them as okay to do when they drive- buckle up, don’t text and drive, don’t talk on their phone, watch the speed limits, and drive defensively. Also, take the time to explain to your teen why certain rules are so important as you drive.

Avoid Distracted Driving

Distracted driving is anything that takes your eyes off the road, like texting, fiddling with the radio, or turning to talk to someone in the back seat. The National Highway Traffic and Safety Administration explains the risk of distracted driving by stating “Sending or reading a text takes your eyes off the road for 5 seconds. At 55 mph, that’s like driving the length of an entire football field with your eyes closed.”

Because of this risk, many driver laws restrict teens from using phones or hands-free devices until they reach a certain point in their Graduated Driver’s Licence (GDL) program. But this is not enough to keep kids from using their phones while driving – the use of mobile phones is common, and the problem only seems to be increasing.

Make sure your teen knows how to pull over for urgent calls, refrain from distracting them as they drive, and make sure they are comfortable keeping their attention on the road before letting them drive unsupervised with friends. Also, be a good role model and don’t drive distracted yourself.

Teach them about Drugs and Alcohol

All 50 states have laws that require teens to have an absolute zero alcohol level in their blood when they are in a vehicle. Teach your teen about the dangers of drunk driving and the best ways to arrange for alternate transportation. Although you don’t believe it’s something your kid would do, you never know what might happen. Teens make mistakes and are susceptible to peer pressure. Remember, about 10,000 Americans lose their lives each year due to drunk driving, many of those teens.

In addition, it’s good to go through the effects of medicines and driving. Go through any medications they may take, such as allergy or cold medications, and explain that these can cause drowsiness and may need to be timed. If you don’t know the effects of their medications, you have the web readily available!

Consider the Use of Monitoring Tools

When you can’t be in the car with your teen, there are methods to monitor their driving at all times.  One way is through a parental control app that monitors driving through your teens phone.  These apps provide data on the use of the vehicle, including where it’s been and current location.  Other technology tool is the use of a GSP tracker, which is installed in the vehicle to monitor it’s use regardless of who the driver is.

Invest in Proper Driver’s Education

Driver’s education courses are designed to help teach your teen how to drive safely and follow your state laws. They help teenagers go through the Driver’s Handbook in an easy-to-understand format, which is very important when it later comes to driving. Make sure your teen takes a driver’s ed course even if your state does not mandate it for their permit and license.  You can also take this opportunity to teach them the basics of auto insurance and get them a learner’s permit insurance.

Remember, all drivers education it’s not good drivers education. Look for courses created by professionals or those that are taught by driving experts (generally the established sites), it will be worth the extra investment.

You should also make sure that your teen does at least a few online DMV practice tests like this one. These will help identify any weak areas that may have been overlooked in driver’s education.

Teach Them to Drive Under Many Circumstances

Once they have their permit, take them to drive in various weather conditions and times of the day.

• Help them troubleshoot how to deal with light in their eye.
• Point out safe places to stop if they get in wicked weather, need to answer a call, or find themselves drowsy driving.
• Coach them on driving speeds in rain and on highways.
• Have them park on hills.
• Explain the importance of adapting to the driving conditions and general guidelines for driving in poor weather conditions or at night.

When it’s time for your teen to drive alone, you want them to feel comfortable behind the wheel. Stress leads to mistakes, and mistakes lead to accidents. Try to go through as many different situations as possible.

Make Sure They Buckle Up

According to the National Highways Traffic Safety Administration, 45% of teens that died in road accidents in 2019 were not wearing a seatbelt. Seatbelts help save thousands of lives each year. If you don’t buckle up, even minor accidents can prove to be fatal.

Make sure to buckle up as soon as you get into the vehicle, no matter the distance of the trip. This will help create a strong habit that your teen will continue to follow.

The intellectual and neurological development of your child can be impacted by many things. Genetics, lifestyle, geographical influences, and even hormones can make a difference in how they grow.  But, nutrition can also play a major role. Physical wellness is crucial to intellectual growth, and that starts by eating a diet that stimulates development, rather than hinders it.

Most people understand the basics of healthy eating. But, you may not understand that certain foods are better than others for developmental health. It’s especially important to choose the right foods to keep your child healthy if they are dealing with nutritionally-based diseases, such as diabetes or prediabetes. Finding a balance between foods that will help their body while stimulating neuro-developmental growth.

In recent years, the popularity of overnight oats rocked the world of social media, with many celebrities and influencers swearing by its effectiveness in keeping them healthy and fit. A child can also take overnight oats, and to make it more fun and interesting to eat, check out blogs from sites like eatpropergood.com.

As for your tiny humans, as early as six months of age, they need to be given nutritious food to grow up healthy, smart, and agile. If you feel that this task is challenging, let sites like Proper Good help you. They help provide only nutrient-dense food to make your children happy, healthy, and creative.

Even if your child is the picture of perfect physical health, there are ways to manage their diet that will help to stimulate development and make getting through school easier for them. So, next time you get ready to make your grocery list, keep these ideas in mind.

Understanding “Brain Food”

The years your children are in school are crucial for their intellectual development. It begins even before that when kids are eating outside of the home in daycare.  The food they eat during these times need to function as fuel for their brain. We often think of food as fuel for the body, and there’s nothing wrong with that, but it’s just as important to feed your child’s mental muscles as their physical ones.

Different foods work in a variety of ways to improve neuro-developmental growth. Some of the best “brain foods” to include in your child’s diet include:

• Eggs – Boost concentration
• Greek yogurt – Keeps brain cells strong so they can send/receive information efficiently
• Kale – Helps brain cells to grow
• Fish – The Vitamin D protects the brain from memory loss
• Apples – Boost energy naturally while fighting mental decline

As you can see, these are very basic ingredients, but they go a long way. You might have to get creative with some of the ways you cook and serve them. And, this list certainly isn’t exclusive. Things like nuts, seeds, oatmeal, and berries are also great brain food options. The more you research different foods, the easier it will be to incorporate ingredients your child already likes into their daily diet more frequently.

What’s great today is that there are a lot of online sources to help and guide parents in keeping their kids healthy through food.  There are videos, blog articles, podcasts, and educational social media channels to deliver the best information so that parents can be well-equipped on this matter.

Knowing What to Avoid

There aren’t necessarily any foods that need to be “off-limits” for your child. Building a healthy nutritional foundation for them lets them understand why healthy eating is important and can help them to turn it into a lifelong practice. That doesn’t mean they can’t enjoy a piece of candy or a cookie sometimes. Deprivation rarely works in adult diets, and it can certainly be more difficult for kids.

But, that doesn’t mean those “treats” should be eaten regularly.

As you saw above, some foods can stimulate intellectual growth. As you might expect, some can hinder it. Some of the worst foods for brain health include:

• Sugary drinks and sodas
• Refined carbohydrates
• Highly processed foods
• Aspartame

Notice a pattern? The more process and filled with sugar something is, the worse it typically is for the brain. So, while you might think a sugary snack or energy drink will boost your child’s productivity, think again. They’ll be likely to “crash” later from the sugar, and if those are continued components of their diet, it could have long-term effects. Instead, introduce productivity-boosting foods like complex carbs, fruits and vegetables, and lean proteins.

These worst kinds of food had been identified to aggravate the symptoms of depression. They can instantly boost serotonin and dopamine, but sadness and anxiety can ensue when the body consumes these chemicals.  This could be dangerous for a child growing up and can lead to severe obesity and eating disorders.

Healthy Eating Should Be Part of the Routine

While a diverse diet is a wonderful way to stimulate intellectual growth, it should only be one piece of the puzzle. When you make a healthy diet for a child part of their everyday routine, it becomes a handy component in their wellness toolbox. But, there are other “tools” in there that will make a big difference in their overall well-being and neuro-developmental growth, too.

Those components could be things like getting enough sleep each night, spending time with friends and family, and incorporating self-care into their everyday routine. Yes, kids need to practice self-care, too! It could be something as simple as taking a break in a quiet room or spending a few minutes outside to relax.

As a parent, this kind of routine will do several things for your child. First, it will provide them with a sense of comfort and familiarity. They’re less likely to be overwhelmed by stress, which can negatively impact their mental well-being.

A healthy routine will also set them up for positive lifelong habits. They’ll carry the basics of their routine with them well into adulthood, so you can feel confident that they will continue to value their mental and physical well-being throughout life.

There are plenty of healthy ways to feed your child. But, the next time you shop and prepare meals, keep more than just their physical health in mind. Start including ingredients that will stimulate their intellectual development, as well.

We live in an age of information. Knowledge is accessible through the internet and it can help inform everything from our life paths to our shopping habits. The availability of this information means that we have the power to be responsible consumers. It also means we have the responsibility to teach our children about what it means to be a responsible consumer.

In a world that often places more value on profits than people, teaching responsible consumerism is about improving outcomes for communities across the globe. You can better achieve this by demonstrating the definition of value, using gratitude to teach sustainability, and taking every opportunity to show children what responsible consumerism looks like.

Here, we’ll explore how you can go about teaching your kids responsibility in the marketplace in a relevant and age-appropriate way.

Help Your Kids Learn Value

Understanding what it means to be a responsible consumer requires first having some understanding of value. Though most abstract concepts will be difficult for younger children to grasp, value is a good place to start. This is because children as young as three can begin to understand basic monetary concepts, and by seven, kids develop many life-long shopping habits.

This is why teaching responsible consumerism to your kids from a young age is particularly important. By educating them on the value of a dollar, you encourage behaviors that could last them their whole lives and teach them to better appreciate what they have.

This can be best achieved by using physical cash when you go shopping with your little ones. Talk them through your budget and grocery list. Even consider allowing them to pick out a toy with a budgeted amount they hold onto. As they grow older, paying for the things they want with money they have earned will attribute real value to their possessions.

As kids gain this experience managing money and learning value, they’ll be able to understand how far a budget can take them and learn to make immediate sacrifices for longer-term gains. They’ll understand their own possessions and moments not just in terms of monetary value but in the value they impart through pleasant memories and feelings.

For example, buying a toy can be fun, but saving for an amusement park trip can build life-long memories. It’s teaching saving habits and delayed satisfaction through examples like this that can then translate to responsible behaviors later on.  Investing in real estate, for instance, represents a similar situation in which the cost may seem high in the present but the benefits come later through tangible assets and predictable cash flow.

Prepare your children for responsible financial decisions in the future by teaching them the true meaning of value. They’ll likely learn patience and gratitude in the process.

Teach Sustainability Through Gratitude

Part of teaching value and responsibility will be instilling in your children a sense of gratitude for all that they already have. Real estate serves again as a great example to demonstrate this.

It can be difficult for a comfortably housed child to know what it means for others to struggle. Yet, being aware of others in the socio-economic spectrum who are less fortunate is a key element of being a responsible consumer. Take little moments to educate your children about the injustices of the economy, how even for some folks who try their hardest, things might not be working out in their favor.

Then, set an example by donating to a homeless shelter or similar nonprofit while engaging your child in the process. Show them the difference you can make by being conscious with your money and what it means for others. Money may not buy happiness, but it certainly improves the quality of life up to a point.

Children need to understand that products, services, and money all have value, value that can extend far beyond the product itself. In fact, marketing companies are now eager to prove to customers that there is value inherent in what they have to offer as a means to instill urgency in customers and stand out to investors. Lately, this has included sustainability claims and promotional material.

As many as 66% of respondents in a retail survey said they considered sustainability in their purchases. This shows that people value more than just the product itself. You can showcase the sustainable values of responsible consumerism by drawing attention to the value beyond the value.

For example, many children use video games to cope with anxiety. Your kids may place value in video games for similar reasons. Explain how a $60 video game purchase may be worth it to them because of this value extension and how the same might be true of sustainable products and services.

Take Every Opportunity to Educate

It will be difficult to impart a sense of responsible and sustainable consumerism in children without showing them real-world examples of what you mean. Fortunately, there are a lot of great opportunities you can make the most of when giving your child a financial education.

These opportunities include:

• At the store
• At the bank
• When making a big financial move, like moving into a new home

Now, this doesn’t mean you need to burden your child with financial concerns. Instead, engaging your child in the process should only happen if it can be a stress-free demonstration of how money works in the real world. This could look like the in-store example mentioned previously or talking your child through digital citizenship and commerce when browsing Amazon.

There are innumerable factors involved in being a responsible consumer in the modern era of global and digital trade. Taking the time to point out these factors and talk through them with your child can be enough to establish a consumer conscience. From here, teaching responsible consumerism comes down to encouraging and exemplifying good financial behavior.

Being informed and responsible while shopping isn’t always easy. Give your children an advantage in life by taking time out to teach them what responsible consumerism looks like. These tips can help.

Not only can too much time in front of a computer, tablet, or phone impact the mental and physical health of kids and teens, but things like social media and YouTube can actually diminish their self-confidence. They become so used to the “highlight reels” of people’s lives, or of influencers who simply aren’t living the way the rest of us do.

So, they think if they aren’t living up to those standards, they must be doing something wrong.  The CDC reports that kids ages 11-14 spend an average of nine hours a day in front of a screen. Surrounding ages vary by a few hours, but the statistics provide the same response – that’s a lot of tech time.

What’s the solution?

Why not an outdoor adventure?

Getting kids outside can help with problem-solving, creativity, and self-reliance. A recent report found that four out of five kids feel more confident after participating in outdoor activities. So, how can you encourage your kids to spend more time outside? What can you do to create confidence in outdoor spaces and build characteristics that will have a positive impact on them for life?

Get Creative With Camping

Camping is a great way to bond with your kids.  Camping is one of the best ways for kids to build self-confidence outdoors. It’s self-reliance 101, and while you can help with things and be a positive teacher, your kids will learn that they can accomplish difficult things on their own, and enjoy the rewards that come with it. If you want to help boost your kids’ confidence while camping, you can start by tying it in with some standard safety procedures, including:

• Respecting wildlife
• Using tools properly
• Packing the right gear
• Staying on marked trails
• Learning how to start a fire

Not only can camping give your kids a boost in responsibility, but it allows them to expand their view of nature. Things like hiking, kayaking, and climbing are all great ways to get them interested in the great outdoors while building their confidence and self-esteem.

As you go on more family camping adventures, you can help your kids become even more confident by letting them pack their own bag or allowing them to pitch the tent when you hit your campsite. Those might seem like small things now. But, they are lessons your children will carry with them into adulthood, and they’ll come in handy when they need to feel confident in their problem-solving abilities.

Finding Self-Confidence in Sports

Youth sports have many physical benefits. They can help to manage weight, improve overall cardiovascular health, and strengthen bones and muscles. Most kids have a lot of natural energy that can be “burned off” through an organized sport – it can sometimes just take a little nudge to get them started.

Beyond the physical benefits of spending time outside playing a sport, there are many mental health perks, too, including:

• Reduced stress/anxiety
• Socialization
• Resilience
• Higher self-esteem and confidence

Studies have shown that kids who participate in sports tend to have higher self-esteem and happiness. That can come from practicing something difficult and seeing the positive results, or realizing they’re getting stronger or better at something over time.

Not all sports are outdoors, of course. But, signing your child up for an organized sport that’s primarily played outside can provide two-fold benefits. Spending time in nature is a natural mood-booster and can reduce stress. It’s a great way for kids to feel their best so they have the opportunity to let their self-confidence bloom.

Splitting From Screens

You don’t have to push your kids into a specific “box” when it comes to getting them outside. Simply making sure they get out there is the important thing. What they do from that point is up to them. Whether it’s playing a game of tag with their siblings, reading a book on the front porch, or going for a walk around the neighborhood, simply spending time outdoors can help them to build confidence and have a better understanding of who they are.

One of the best ways to make sure your kids spend enough time outdoors is to set boundaries on screen time. Your expectations should be clear and concise. Once your kids understand the rules regarding their digital devices, they’re less likely to push back. You can use the great outdoors as an option for them to enjoy when they’re done with tech for the day. Assure them that doesn’t mean they need to spend hours outside (though, as they get used to the benefits and realize they can have fun, they’re likely to spend more time out there every day).

Research suggests that as little as five minutes of activity outside every day can boost self-esteem. By encouraging your kids to spend more time outdoors now, you can set them up to form healthy habits in the future, and to be more confident in their abilities as they grow into adults.