Hi everyone, this was a blog from last year that I think is important for teens looking for summer jobs. Pass this along to your teen, parents.
Hey Teens, summer is just around the corner and for those of you that are going to enter the wonderful world of working for a living (or maybe just working for next years school clothes and having fun). Here are some job ideas. I did a blog last year regarding summer jobs for teens. I am big advocate of entrepreneurialship, working for yourself. There are so many ways to create jobs for yourself, and make more money, I’m not quite sure why you would work for someone else.
It is also going to be tougher this year to get a job, because of the current economic situation we are in. Those jobs that teens usually go for during the summer might well be taken by someone else that has lost his job. So that’s what makes creating your own job even more appealing.
When I look at the typical job for teens today like fast food restaurant, I think there must be a better way.
Besides working with Teen’s and being an author, I have owned a few businesses. I love being my own boss, because I get to do things my way, it’s a great learning experience and best of all my hard work pay off, goes to me. Of course you may have some small start up costs, and costs of doing business, but then the rest is yours.
So here are some great business ideas for teens:
• Web Consultant- most teens I know have a way with computers and most adults I know struggle with it. Help them set up and manage Social Networking Sites (My Space, etc.
• Nanny- if you like kids and your good with them, kids are out of school during the summer, but parents still have to work.
• Dog Walker or Pet sitting- I’m always looking for someone to help me with my animals. I pay $35.00 to $50.00 a night.
• Dog Washer- if someone had a service on a Saturday or anytime where I could just drop in and have my dos washed I would love it. All you need is water towels, dog shampoo and a location. I think if you charged $12.00 for a small dog, $16.00 for a medium, and $20.00 for a large dog, people would do it all day long.
• Car Detailing- with a few supplies and a knowledge of what is clean and what is not, you could wash, wax, clean vents, and vacuuming right at their homes
• Errand running- there are a lot of elderly people and people that are very business that need help, just running errands or helping around the house with odd jobs.
• Cleaning Service- if you have a sense of what is clean and what is not, this is a great business.
Most of the time the people buy the cleaning products and you just go clean.
• Tutoring- tutor a younger teen or child while going through summer school or with subjects they are having difficulty with. Parents love this one.
• Small business assistant- I used to always get teens to help me with different jobs for my business. They would come for 2 hours a day and I would have things like shredding, bookwork, cleaning, organizing inventory, so many things.
So, get a plan together, and start preparing now because summer is almost here. Get the supplies you need, how many hours it will take, how much you are going to charge, who are you going to call, make a flyer, post it, tell all of your parents friends, and ask if they know anyone that needs your help. I think working is a lot more fun, when you are your own boss, so go have some fun and make some money and let me know how it goes.
Every year I look back at the past year and take inventory on what I have created in my life. Some of it I set out to create, other things just happened, or do they? I know why the things I put my mind on get created, but am often curious about the things that just seem to happen.
This year while we sat with good friends to establish our hopes and desires for the year to come, I noticed a big difference in what I was trying to manifest in my life. Of course I want to continue to work with teens and parents, make sure my book is still available to as many girls who need it, and work on projects like e-books, workshops and other material that will help people. But what really changed was my deep desire to be more connected with myself and others, to be more open-hearted and to change the way I live in this world.
I want to slow down and be around the people I love and the people that make my heart sing more. It is often difficult to do this when we are going and going, working and working, and come to the end of our day pooped! So how can we live our life with more purpose? Pay attention to what you are doing every day and if it’s not what is making you live in your heart, analyse it. Then see how you might be able to shift it. So, if I want certain things in my life, what is it going to take to get them?
I was just talking to my boyfriends Field Representative in his landscape business and she was amazed at the business that was coming in this week. I work closely with them and we had a talk about bringing in more business last week. She had been working on a book of native flowers to have for clients, also a good tool. But when she shifting her intentions to bringing in more business it was amazing how fast it started coming in. All she did was move her attention from the book to cultivating new business, and the universe got a clear picture of what she wanted and started putting things in place.
This is so important because what we put our energy or attention on starts gaining momentum. It’s critical to first look at what you what in your life and then figure out the actions that are going to get you there. Then take those actions. So if I want to create more connected relationship in my life, what do I need to do? First I need to to look at which relationships I want to be more connected to, then call those people and put them in my schedule. If I don’t put them in my schedule, guess what, I continue to work and work, and the week ends and I haven’t spend quality time with my friends. I schedule them just like I do appointments, even though you may think this is too business like, it works for me. Then we get together and so the connection begins. I talk to them about how often they would like to get together and if our relationship is important to them, of course they say yes, and we set up our next get together.
If I continue to to make sure I fit my friends in my schedule those relationships will blossom, because I am taking action to make sure that they do. This is easy stuff, whats important to you, how are you going to get it and then do it. So to come back to my first question “Do New Years Resolutions Work”? Not if there isn’t a follow up plan, just to state something doesn’t have the power unless you take the action to make it happen.
As far as the things that just happen, well the universe guides us in mysterious ways, doesn’t it? This is a good time to just roll with it, enjoy the ride and then look at what comes of it. Paying attention in life makes our life so much richer and helps us understand the meaning and purpose of our life. Test it out and let me know what you think.
So, when is it okay to quit? I use to be that person that never gave up, even if it wasn’t in my best interest. The thought of not finishing or failing at something gave me high anxiety. I was the person that would say “Sure I can carry the house, I’m strong enough”, no matter what.
It took me a long time to realize that it might not be a good idea to carry a house. I had to start bringing in the part of me that was okay with not accomplishing it all. I also looked at the part of me that wasn’t okay with myself and had to prove that the only way to be okay was to be good at everything and never quit anything.
It was holiday vacation time for me, my boyfriend and his 15 year-old twins and we all decided to go Snowboarding. I used to Ski 13 years ago and thought Snowboarding would be tough, but I’d be able to do it, even though my physical health was on the mend. I have been working out most of my life but through my health stuff had taken 2 years off.
The first day Ian, one of the twins and myself took group lessons just to make sure we had our form down and didn’t learn any bad habits. After our lesson we proceeded up the mountain with the rest and I was shocked at how bad I was, and how hard it was. I couldn’t stay up for longer than 7 seconds.
When I was up my legs were burning like someone was throwing hot water on them. I don’t know how many of you have snowboarded but you need a strong core and strong legs. Both of which have been on the mend for the last 6 months for me. I have always been so strong in my body and very athletic, so this for me wasn’t easy to handle. After doing so poorly the first day, I had to make a decision if I was going to give it another whirl. Let me remind you that I had fallen so many times that my butt was bruised, and both my arms and legs felt light they had been pulled out of their sockets. So, I slept on it.
The next morning I decided to give it one more day because I felt that it wasn’t a fair assessment only after one day. So I took a private lesson, and really felt like I had learned so much more, that it had to make a difference. So after my lesson I went up the bunny hill to practice with a whole new level of excitement. I got to the top and to my surprise it was like I had never had a lesson. At first I was so disappointed, and wanted to prove to myself and everyone that I could do it and then something shifted in me. I became very compassionate for how hard I had tried even with my body in it’s repairing stage.
I finally got to the bottom and took off the board and went and had a hot chocalate, and allowed myself to be disappointed without beating myself up. I realized that it was okay for me not to be a snowboarder (right now), that I would ski until my body was stronger to handle a sport that took so much strength.
I realized I gave it my best shot, (I have the bruises to prove it) and that it felt okay inside to let it go. Now that doesn’t mean I well never snowboard again, it just means that it’s okay if I don’t. If you are like I was, always pushing yourself to the edge, weather it is good for you or not or if you push your teens passed their limit, look inside yourself and ask why.
As long as you give something your best shot and you decide that for whatever reason you don’t like it, or just simply don’t want to do it, it’s okay to quit. It doesn’t make you a loser, on the contrary, it makes you a person who will try anything and a person who loves them self.
I was talking with a parent yesterday and we were discussing her concerns with bullying, and how prevalent it is with teens today. So, this morning I thought that I would write about it. In the mean time I was looking through my information on bullying and I found this article about Bullying Being A Big Problem by Kids Health and I am excited to see how thorough the information is.
Every time I facilitate a workshop, no matter what the topic is, I always talk to girls about how they treat each other. What’s it is like to be bullied, and what makes a girl be a bully.
I was bullied as a teen for many years, and the despair I would feel every morning before going to school was deep. The anxiety that I felt daily was unbearable. When I became a parent of teens myself, I was looking at my behavior to make sure that I wasn’t teaching my girls to be bullies.
As parents we need to look at our actions to see if we are creating bullies. Every teen has insecurities that can show up in different ways. It can show up as being very shy or so insecure that they bully. Working on self esteem helps both side of being bullied and being a bully. It’s up to us as parents to see where our teens fall in that spectrum.
Enjoy this article, it is packed full of great information.
Bullying Is a Big Problem
Every day thousands of teens wake up afraid to go to school. Bullying is a problem that affects millions of students, and it has everyone worried, not just the kids on its receiving end. Yet because parents, teachers, and other adults don’t always see it, they may not understand how extreme bullying can get.
Bullying is when a person is picked on over and over again by an individual or group with more power, either in terms of physical strength or social standing.
Two of the main reasons people are bullied are because of appearance and social status. Bullies pick on the people they think don’t fit in, maybe because of how they look, how they act (for example, kids who are shy and withdrawn), their race or religion, or because the bullies think their target may be gay or lesbian.
Some bullies attack their targets physically, which can mean anything from shoving or tripping to punching or hitting, or even sexual assault. Others use psychological control or verbal insults to put themselves in charge. For example, people in popular groups or cliques often bully people they categorize as different by excluding them or gossiping about them (psychological bullying). They may also taunt or tease their targets (verbal bullying).
Verbal bullying can also involve sending cruel instant or email messages or even posting insults about a person on a website – practices that are known as cyberbullying.
How Does Bullying Make People Feel?
One of the most painful aspects of bullying is that it is relentless. Most people can take one episode of teasing or name calling or being shunned at the mall. However, when it goes on and on, bullying can put a person in a state of constant fear.
Guys and girls who are bullied may find their schoolwork and health suffering. Amber began having stomach pains and diarrhea and was diagnosed with a digestive condition called irritable bowel syndrome as a result of the stress that came from being bullied throughout ninth grade. Mafooz spent his afternoons hungry and unable to concentrate in class because he was too afraid to go to the school cafeteria at lunchtime.
Studies show that people who are abused by their peers are at risk for mental health problems, such as low self-esteem, stress, depression, or anxiety. They may also think about suicide more.
Bullies are at risk for problems, too. Bullying is violence, and it often leads to more violent behavior as the bully grows up. It’s estimated that 1 out of 4 elementary-school bullies will have a criminal record by the time they are 30. Some teen bullies end up being rejected by their peers and lose friendships as they grow older. Bullies may also fail in school and not have the career or relationship success that other people enjoy.
Who Bullies?
Both guys and girls can be bullies. Bullies may be outgoing and aggressive. Or a bully can appear reserved on the surface, but may try to manipulate people in subtle, deceptive ways, like anonymously starting a damaging rumor just to see what happens.
Many bullies share some common characteristics. They like to dominate others and are generally focused on themselves. They often have poor social skills and poor social judgment. Sometimes they have no feelings of empathy or caring toward other people.
Although most bullies think they’re hot stuff and have the right to push people around, others are actually insecure. They put other people down to make themselves feel more interesting or powerful. And some bullies act the way they do because they’ve been hurt by bullies in the past – maybe even a bullying figure in their own family, like a parent or other adult.
Some bullies actually have personality disorders that don’t allow them to understand normal social emotions like guilt, empathy, compassion, or remorse. These people need help from a mental health professional like a psychiatrist or psychologist.
What Can You Do?
For younger kids, the best way to solve a bullying problem is to tell a trusted adult. For teens, though, the tell-an-adult approach depends on the bullying situation.
One situation in which it is vital to report bullying is if it threatens to lead to physical danger and harm. Numerous high-school students have died when stalking, threats, and attacks went unreported and the silence gave the bully license to become more and more violent.
Sometimes the victim of repeated bullying cannot control the need for revenge and the situation becomes dangerous for everyone.
Adults in positions of authority – parents, teachers, or coaches – can often find ways to resolve dangerous bullying problems without the bully ever learning how they found out about it.
If you’re in a bullying situation that you think may escalate into physical violence, try to avoid being alone (and if you have a friend in this situation, spend as much time as you can together). Try to remain part of a group by walking home at the same time as other people or by sticking close to friends or classmates during the times that the bullying takes place.
Bullying Survival Tips
Here are some things you can do to combat psychological and verbal bullying. They’re also good tips to share with a friend as a way to show your support:
Ignore the bully and walk away. It’s definitely not a coward’s response – sometimes it can be harder than losing your temper. Bullies thrive on the reaction they get, and if you walk away, or ignore hurtful emails or instant messages, you’re telling the bully that you just don’t care. Sooner or later the bully will probably get bored with trying to bother you. Walk tall and hold your head high. Using this type of body language sends a message that you’re not vulnerable.
Hold the anger. Who doesn’t want to get really upset with a bully? But that’s exactly the response he or she is trying to get. Bullies want to know they have control over your emotions. If you’re in a situation where you have to deal with a bully and you can’t walk away with poise, use humor – it can throw the bully off guard. Work out your anger in another way, such as through exercise or writing it down (make sure you tear up any letters or notes you write in anger).
Don’t get physical. However you choose to deal with a bully, don’t use physical force (like kicking, hitting, or pushing). Not only are you showing your anger, you can never be sure what the bully will do in response. You are more likely to be hurt and get in to trouble if you use violence against a bully. You can stand up for yourself in other ways, such as gaining control of the situation by walking away or by being assertive in your actions. Some adults believe that bullying is a part of growing up (even that it is character building) and that hitting back is the only way to tackle the problem. But that’s not the case. Aggressive responses tend to lead to more violence and more bullying for the victims.
Practice confidence. Practice ways to respond to the bully verbally or through your behavior. Practice feeling good about yourself (even if you have to fake it at first).
Take charge of your life. You can’t control other people’s actions, but you can stay true to yourself. Think about ways to feel your best – and your strongest – so that other kids may give up the teasing. Exercise is one way to feel strong and powerful. (It’s a great mood lifter, too!) Learn a martial art or take a class like yoga. Another way to gain confidence is to hone your skills in something like chess, art, music, computers, or writing. Joining a class, club, or gym is a great way to make new friends and feel great about yourself. The confidence you gain will help you ignore the mean kids.
Talk about it. It may help to talk to a guidance counselor, teacher, or friend – anyone who can give you the support you need. Talking can be a good outlet for the fears and frustrations that can build when you’re being bullied.
Find your (true) friends. If you’ve been bullied with rumors or gossip, all of the above tips (especially ignoring and not reacting) can apply. But take it one step further to help ease feelings of hurt and isolation. Find one or two true friends and confide how the gossip has hurt your feelings. Set the record straight by telling your friends quietly and confidently what’s true and not true about you. Hearing a friend say, “I know the rumor’s not true. I didn’t pay attention to it,” can help you realize that most of the time people see gossip for what it is – petty, rude, and immature.
What if You’re the Big Bully
All of us have to deal with a lot of difficult situations and emotions. For some people, when they’re feeling stressed, angry, or frustrated, picking on someone else can be a quick escape – it takes the attention away from them and their problems. Some bullies learn from firsthand experience. Perhaps name-calling, putdowns, or physical force are the norms in their families. Whatever the reason, though, it’s no excuse for being the bully.
If you find it hard to resist the temptation to bully, you might want to talk with someone you look up to. Try to think about how others feel when you tease or hurt them. If you have trouble figuring this out (many people who bully do), you might ask someone else to help you think of the other person’s side.
Bullying behavior backfires and makes everyone feel miserable – even the bullies. People might feel intimidated by bullies, but they don’t respect them. If you would rather that people see your strength and character – even look up to you as a leader – find a way to use your power for something positive rather than to put others down.
Do you really want people to think of you as unkind, abusive, and mean? It’s never too late to change, although changing a pattern of bullying might seem difficult at first. Ask an adult you respect for some mentoring or coaching on how you could change.
Steps To Stop Bullying in School
If the environment at your school supports bullying, working to change it can help. For example, there may be areas where bullies harass people, such as in stairwells or courtyards that are unobserved by staff. Because a lot of bullying takes part in the presence of peers (the bully wants to be recognized and feel powerful, after all), enlisting the help of friends or a group is a good way to change the culture and stand up to bullies.
You can try to talk to the bully. If you don’t feel comfortable in a face-to-face discussion, leave a note in the bully’s locker. Try to point out that his or her behavior is serious and harmful. This can work well in group situations, such as if you notice that a member of your group has started to pick on or shun another member.
Most people hesitate to speak out because it can be hard. It takes confidence to stand up to a bully – especially if he or she is one of the established group leaders. But chances are the other students witnessing the bullying behavior feel as uncomfortable as you do. They may just not be speaking up. Perhaps they feel that they’re not popular enough to take a stand or worry that they’re vulnerable and the bully will turn on them. Staying quiet (even though they don’t like the bully’s behavior) is a way to distance themselves from the person who is the target.
When a group of people keeps quiet like this, the bully’s reach is extending beyond just one person. He or she is managing to intimidate lots of people. But when one person speaks out against a bully, the reverse happens. It gives others license to add their support and take a stand, too.
Another way to combat bullying is to join your school’s anti-violence program or, if your school doesn’t have one, to start one of your own.
I am preparing for a Girls Intentions Workshop October 17th and it really has me thinking about everything involved in Our Intentions. Our intentions are not just what we intend to do now or in the future. I think that most people think of intentions as a part of manifesting what we want. This is an important part but not the only part.
I think our intentions first must start with our actions, and holding ourselves accountable. If we set an intention to be able to manifest something we want in our lives; a connection with our teen, money, or a different career, it is ultimately our actions that create our reality. Just setting an intention and not taking any action at all, may not create what we want. If we look at our life, it is mostly a culmination of our thoughts and actions.
Our thoughts are important because it is tough to create what we want if we are stuck in a negative place. If we aren’t enjoying the creation of what we are trying to bring into our lives it will prevent us from exploring all the amazing areas of this creations. When we are in a good place in ourselves we tend to be more creative and things just flow better for us .
So first to set an intention, and then really look at what needs to be done to bring that intention into our life. If I want to change my career and become a Doctor, I’m pretty sure that just by me writing it down on a piece of paper and hoping, isn’t going to have me at the hospital healing people anytime soon. The action to go back to school is needed.
It is the same with our relationships with our teenagers. We can hope and wish all day long that we have a better relationship with our teen, but until we start looking at our actions and how they affect the relationship, it won’t change. If our intentions are one thing and our actions don’t step up to the plate, our intention may not come to fruition.
So, the first thing I will help the teen girls understand is that our actions are a direct results of our reality. If our life looks a certain way, we need to look at what actions we have been taking in our life. Then we will talk about our attitudes and how our negative behaviors may be hindering the outcome of what we want to bring in. Then and only then setting the intention to bring it in, knowing that we are going to bring the power into it physically and mentally through our action.
Then we will cement our intentions through creating a Vision Board. It is a powerful workshop that is very impactful with not only teens but with anyone working on shifting their life.
Let me know what your feelings are around this and if you have experienced this is the past.
I found this great article by Alice Englin, Partners in Prevention. The following article was taken from the Shoulder to Shoulder Minnesota parenting booklet, which can be found in English and in Spanish at www.shouldertoshoulderminnesota.org.
Who are your teenagers hanging out with?
These articles on parenting are all part of an effort to protect our teens from the dangers of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use. There is not one magic way to make sure they always make good choices, but through effective parenting we are much more likely to help them make the good choices in tough situations.
Please visit this Web site for more information.
Get to know parents.
• Make a point to invite parents in for coffee and a chance to chat when they bring their teen to visit our homes. If you’re the driver, stick your head in the door and introduce yourself to the parents of your teens’ friends.
• Know the address and phone numbers of your teens’ friends. Keep this information in a handy place to make quick phone calls to check teens’ plans.
Get to know teens’ friends
• Introduce yourself to your teen’s friends — let them know your name and learn theirs as well.
• Take interest in them. We’re not going to get juicy information, but know the basics: Where do you go to school? Do you have brothers and sisters? Do you play sports? What do you enjoy doing outside of school?
• Help teens’ friends know the rules in your house. Whether it’s leaving shoes at the door or clearing the dishes from the table after you eat, find a way to clearly and politely communicate your expectations.
Concerned about a particular friend?
• Sometimes teens like to “try out” new friends who are very different from them. If you’re concerned there isn’t enough supervision or that the home of a friend is unsafe, invite the friend to your home.
Questions to ask when your teen goes to another family’s home
• Will there be an adult at home?
• Will the adult be nearby the teens?
• What does the parent know about their teens’ plans?
• Will they be going anywhere? If so, how will they get there? (Do you want an adult to drive or are you OK with the 16-year-old sister driving?)
• What time should I pick up my teen?
• How many teens are coming over? (Is this a raging party or just a few friends?)
• Will they be having a meal with you?
• What are your rules about media ratings and what kids are allowed to watch?
• Do you have alcohol in the house?
• What are your rules about use?
• Does anyone smoke in the house?
• What are your rules about smoking?
• Do you have guns in the home?
• Are they locked away with trigger locks?
Alice Englin is the director of the Freeborn County Partners in Prevention, working to reduce substance use and abuse among youth in Freeborn County.
Good points, aren’t they? I hope you liked it. These are just a few simple things parents can do to stay connected to their teen.
teens-in-a-group
I have always been a big fan of having the kids at my house, so I can get to know them and their parents. I was always so surprised at how many parents wouldn’t have the desire to come in and meet me. Get to know your friends parents.
I remember one of my youngest daughters, friends mother was using drugs herself. It was a tough one for me because I didn’t want to exclude the friend, because she needed friends, but I had to set good boundaries like: your not allowed over her house, if you want to hang out, you do it at our house, no exceptions.
It’s okay to have rules and boundaries with your teens and your teens friends. The more open you are with your expectations, the easier it will be for them to understand and follow them.
I think getting to know the parents is very important because you have a better change of guiding your teen when you have your teens friends parenting guiding the same way. It makes it easier to keep track of your teens when there is 2 families looking out for their well-being. So, know their friends and know their parents, and of course know your own teen.
Hey Teens, summer is just around the corner and for those of you that are going to enter the wonderful world of working for a living (or maybe just working for next years school clothes and having fun). Here are some job ideas. I did a blog last year regarding summer jobs for teens. I am big advocate of entrepreneurialship, working for yourself. There are so many ways to create jobs for yourself, and make more money, I’m not quite sure why you would work for someone else.
It is also going to be tougher this year to get a job, because of the current economic situation we are in. Those jobs that teens usually go for during the summer might well be taken by someone else that has lost his job. So that’s what makes creating your own job even more appealing.
When I look at the typical job for teens today like fast food restaurant, I think there must be a better way.
Besides working with Teen’s and being an author, I have owned a few businesses. I love being my own boss, because I get to do things my way, it’s a great learning experience and best of all my hard work pay off, goes to me. Of course you may have some small start up costs, and costs of doing business, but then the rest is yours.
So here are some great business ideas for teens:
• Web Consultant- most teens I know have a way with computers and most adults I know struggle with it. Help them set up and manage Social Networking Sites (My Space, etc.
• Nanny- if you like kids and your good with them, kids are out of school during the summer, but parents still have to work.
• Dog Walker or Pet sitting- I’m always looking for someone to help me with my animals. I pay $35.00 to $50.00 a night.
• Dog Washer- if someone had a service on a Saturday or anytime where I could just drop in and have my dos washed I would love it. All you need is water towels, dog shampoo and a location. I think if you charged $12.00 for a small dog, $16.00 for a medium, and $20.00 for a large dog, people would do it all day long.
• Car Detailing- with a few supplies and a knowledge of what is clean and what is not, you could wash, wax, clean vents, and vacuuming right at their homes
• Errand running- there are a lot of elderly people and people that are very business that need help, just running errands or helping around the house with odd jobs.
• Cleaning Service- if you have a sense of what is clean and what is not, this is a great business.
Most of the time the people buy the cleaning products and you just go clean.
• Tutoring- tutor a younger teen or child while going through summer school or with subjects they are having difficulty with. Parents love this one.
• Small business assistant- I used to always get teens to help me with different jobs for my business. They would come for 2 hours a day and I would have things like shredding, bookwork, cleaning, organizing inventory, so many things.
So, get a plan together, and start preparing now because summer is almost here. Get the supplies you need, how many hours it will take, how much you are going to charge, who are you going to call, make a flyer, post it, tell all of your parents friends, and ask if they know anyone that needs your help. I think working is a lot more fun, when you are your own boss, so go have some fun and make some money and let me know how it goes.
Sexting, sending nude photos of yourself to someone through your cell phone. What are teens thinking…or are they?
It seems with all of this great new technology comes and big responsibility to the parents to educate their teens on what the dangers might be. It’s not all fun and games.
These are photos that you can’t take back, once they leave your phone and go to another persons phone, they can do what they want with them. Here is another video from the Today Show regarding this topic.
It seems so harmless and fun for teens, until something like this happens. It’s easy to find information on this subject parents. Ask your teen what he or she thinks about sex-ting, and then get on the Internet and start doing some research. Teens might not even think about the consequences. Ask them what if you or someone you know sends a nude picture to your boyfriend, and you break up and he is not happy about the break-up. What is the risk there?
It always comes down to it being our responsibility to educate our kids, so we have to be a step ahead them, which is really hard. My suggestion is always keep an open line of communication with your teen, so that they will keep you informed about what is going on. Get on the Internet and do the research first when your kids are younger, twelve and below, so that you will know what is going on. Even though new issues pop up everyday.
Wow, another year gone, it’s amazing. Another year goes and another comes and if I don’t stop and look at what has happened in the past year, I just go on to the next. Just another year, no big deal…
I sat after a great meal with friends and my partner and we wrote down everything we wanted to pat ourselves on the back for in 2008. After we wrote them down, we shared them with each other, and witnessed each others as well. What an experience it was to participate in each others successes. We all were so excited to verbalize our successes and hear about each others triumphs.
Then we proceeded to write our goals for 2009 and share them. It just made them real to us, especially because we were sharing them out loud. Try this with your family or friends. If you have teens, invite their friends over and guide them through this, it is very empowering. If you want to take it a step further have them do a vision board after, about what they would like to create in the year to come.
I do this in my groups with teens and it’s amazing how things start manifesting in their lives. It really is exciting. You get to see what you wanted and if you made it happen or not.
I am excited about another year and all of the exciting options I have laid out for myself. The years go by fast, so don’t stall. I wrote my on a pretty piece of paper and actually decorated it. Have fun, bring in the New Year with all of your wonderful intentions.
If you have any other ideas, I would love to hear about them.
So, I set a goal of getting back into my exercise routine more 3 weeks ago and one thing lead to another and I fell a bit short on that goal, well actually I only hiked once, so I fell really short of my goal. How do I feel? Personally, I feel a little disappointed with myself. Am I going to let that stop me from setting another goal? Nope, not a chance.
I’m not even going to beat myself up about it. I’m going to look at the reality of the situation no matter what it is, meaning, I’m going to be real with myself about why I did not reach my goal. If I’m honest about why I didn’t reach it, even if it’s as simple as I just didn’t want to work out, I can explore the reason why, and set another goal that I may have a better chance of reaching. If I’m not honest about why I didn’t reach it, the possibility of not reaching it again are pretty high. It’s important to know what obstacles were in your way, so you can remove them. For me it was because I didn’t schedule my workouts in my date book so the days just got away from me.
One thing I did do was reset my goal, and because I knew what the obstacle was, I removed it and now I have a better chance of reaching my goal.
A big goal last year for me was becoming an Award Winning Author, with My Feet Aren’t Ugly. I had to do a lot of prep work to get my book in front of the right people and it was very intimating and I was afraid of rejection. I kept at it for 10 months and yes there were some rejections, but there were some huge successes. I won 4 Awards for my book. I can tell you that winning the awards was amazing, but what was really important for me was setting the goal, following through with it, and succeeding and seeing the results show up for me like they did.
Setting goals and obtaining them, help you build your confidence and the actual process helps you learn so much about yourself.
Here are some tips on goal setting:
1) Set the goal by writing it down
2) Don’t beat yourself up if you don’t reach it
3) If you don’t reach your goal, write about it, explore the reasons why
4) When you do reach your goal celebrate it
5) When reaching your goal, explore how you did it
6) If you didn’t receive an award object, create one, display it and be proud
Here is one of my awards that I am very proud of, it is the Nautilus Book Award Winner for Non Fiction Young Adult. Tell me what impact goal setting has had on you lately.
