She loves me. She loves me not.

Romantic relationships begin to play a central role in the tween years and the formation of romantic relationships (including crushes) is an important developmental task of adolescence. Be an eParent®! Tweens use text messaging, Snapchat, Instagram and other social connection apps to build romantic relationships. Establish good habits early. Kids need guidelines and rules about what […]

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When the cat’s away, the mice will play.

Keeping tabs on your teen can be challenging as they spend more time away from home and away from your watchful eye. Yet monitoring your tween has never been more important! Getting to know the parents of your tweens’ friends is one easy way to keep tabs on your child’s activities and behaviors even when you are […]

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Don’t “unfriend” me. I’m your Mother!

Getting to know your teen’s friends will help you gain insights on how your teen handles different aspects of his or her life. Be an eParent®! An easy way to get to know your tween better is to “friend” her and her friends on Facebook. Three-fourths of American teens are on Facebook and even though […]

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When No Means No

Even though your tween may be more involved in shaping some family rules, there are still non-negotiable issues, like safety or screen time, which you will need to enforce. Identify your non-negotiable issues and then maintain these rules in the family. Be an eParent®!  Remind your child about the rules that are firm and can’t […]

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Is it teenaged angst, moodiness, hormones, or something else?

Just about all kids in America are immersed in media-related activities. Television, social media, video games, movies, radio, music, the Internet, books, magazines, and newspapers can all be accessed through their handheld devices. Excessive access to these resources or an inability to self-monitor can prove harmful to some teens. Take care to watch for warning […]

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How connected is your (parent) network?

As tweens develop their own identities, they often push away from their parents. The connections involving you and your child are important! Networking with other parents can help you find resources that can provide positive relationships, guidance and activities for your tween. Be an eParent®! Create or join a social media group with the parents […]

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What do chocolate, exercise, and technology have in common?

Chocolate, exercise and technology – all can be too much of a good thing!  It can be easy to forget that tweens look to us for clues about how to use digital media. The more we bring technology into our lives, the more they notice our escalating use. This makes it important to model healthy […]

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“You aren’t the boss of me!” “I can take care of myself.”

Independence and autonomy are critical to healthy teen development. One of the most important tasks for all adolescents is learning the skills that will help them make healthy choices and manage their own lives. As your young teen becomes more responsible, increase his or her options for independence. Be an eParent®! Work with your child to register […]

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