The Real Deal Family and Relationship Guide

Teenagers are a real challenge to raise. While many parents will tells you the "terrible twos" are a real hard time to get through, this pales in comparison to the teen years. Teenagers today have so many negative influences in their  life that it is very hard for a parent to know where to draw the line between protecting your child, and letting your child have some space and privacy. Sometimes our best intentions can create far more negative outcomes than we can imagine. Teenagers are very resilient and should never be underestimated in how far they'll go to hide things from you. The question is, did you create a situation that prompted them to be this determined? If you are too protective, and too involved in your teen's private life you run the risk of creating just the opposite of what you really desire. Instead of making your teen feel like you really care and are looking out for their best interests, you will force them to seek privacy, and independence to a

Teen Mom 2 (Photo credit: Wikipedia ) MTV's hit reality shows Teen Mom and 16 and Pregnant are wildly popular. The show follows teens on a journey from pregnancy to parenthood and often reveal the day to day struggles the girls and their boyfriends face when dealing with an unplanned pregnancy. In some cases, the girls seem to make the whole process seem rather easy, especially those like Chelsea Houska receiving a huge amount of financial support from parents. Chelsea drives a very nice vehicle, even bought a new one while on the show and moved into several rather nice homes/apartments while the show progressed. Houska's biggest struggles however, seem to be her own inability to end a toxic relationship with her baby's daddy Adam Lind. What teen moms need to remember about their boyfriends is that when you choose to have unprotected sex with a teenaged boy, you are choosing a teenaged boy for a father . You can't expect them to be a man, nor can they expect you to b

Image by thorinside via Flick Manipulating people with guilt, shame or emotionally is a surefire way to build an explosive reaction in the future. There are many forms of manipulation and they all have the ability to backfire in ways that can destroy a relationship permanently. In some cases, a manipulator even uses their own misfortune as a way to conjure up pity and help from someone, usually a spouse, friend or family member. If you live in South Carolina and you find you are manipulative, or others have accused you of this, you may want to seek some help to get at the root of your problem, see: Psychiatrist Today in SC for help. Are you the type that keeps throwing up some indiscretion, or wrong from the past in your partner, friend, or family members face? Well I hate to break it to you, but you suck. If you claimed to have forgiven them for whatever it is you are throwing in their face, then drop it. If you haven't then you have no business being around them. It's tha

Image via Wikipedia Whether it is with your children, spouse or friends there are many things you can do as an individual to ruin a good thing like a lasting loving and healthy relationship with the people around you. We are all guilty of the things on the list from time to time, but too much a bad thing is just that..too much. 1. Using the “you owe me” line- Parents if you are using this with your children stop. There are only a few times a child owes their parents anything and they are the following: If you supported them financially or provided food, transportation and shelter beyond the age of 18 then yes, you deserve a big thank you and some credit for any success that came of your help. However, if you kid left home when they became of legal age, managed to take care of themselves and have asked very little of you, congratulations, you did what you were supposed to do and raised a responsible adult. Do they "owe" you for that? No, that was your job, and we

Image via Wikipedia 1. Are we there yet?  I don't know about many but after hearing these famous words over and over again on a  family vacation  will drive even the best parent crazy. I guess the best way to deal with it is with a little humor, like replying "how can we be there, when we're here?"..that should shut them up..for a minute.. 2. The smell from the backseat-  Lets face it, kids have accidents. Not just the fact they spill every drink you give them, or the fact that the snacks you lovingly prepared ended up some how squished into the carpet, but there's the other dreaded accident that occurs too. The "oops I went in my pants" accident. Home looks better with every mile you travel, doesn't it? 3. "Roy keeps touching me"- Ah how nice to know that while you are coping with the constant requests, the smells and the endless questions you also get to settle the most horrid offense known to youngsters, the unsolicited "touch&qu

                                                Dawn Gagnon Photography ©2023 As more of our children grow up in single parent homes, they are quick to assume that child rearing is a way to gain more love from another human being. Raising children is a difficult job for any parent of any age. More and more teens are entering this life changing decision only to realize too late how hard it is and how ill prepared they are for the undertaking. Recognizing an artistically gifted child Children are often born with a creative instinct of one type of another. Paying attention to the signals they give at a young age will help you, help them find their outlet and medium. A lifelong love and talent may be just within reach for your youngster. To read more on how to do this click here:   Recognizing an artistically gifted child Talking and connecting with your teen Parenting is one of the single most rewarding, yet difficult jobs there are. When they are young, you spend your time teachin

Image via Wikipedia During the Holidays a lot of people become depressed. It is easy to forget family and those in your family who may not be having the best of times. If they live alone, it is even worse. We must remind ourselves that they should be able to celebrate as family, too. If you have children, and they have grandparents that are active in their lives, you should give them every opportunity to spend as much time with them this time of year as possible. Read more here: Spending time with grandchildren and great grandchildren Related articles Inexpensive holiday decorating ideas (examiner.com) Must have Thanksgiving side dishes (examiner.com) Great deals on Christmas gifts (examiner.com)

Image via Wikipedia What happens to our bundles of joy? In the beginning, these little delights gave our lives meaning, then suddenly in the blink of an eye they change.  Mom and dad become old and geeky and oblivious to everything relevant in a teens eyes. How did that happen? Moreover, when did we, become our parents ? Teenagers are a strange brood. They vacillate between happy and joyful and moody and obstinate. I do believe, in my experience as a parent for 23 plus years, and I'm not done yet...that the minute puberty sets in..the worm turns for our little former bundles of joy. My kids use odd terms that cover a wide variety of emotional expression. For instance, if I tell DJ , "my 12 year old version of Little Man Tate " to take out the garbage, I hear "taking out the garbage is gay ". Now, because I am no perfect, politically correct  parent, I usually retort by saying "Well then I picked the right person for the job then". Yes, I know..I

Image via Wikipedia I don't care whether you go to all your kids baseball games, volunteer to go on every field trip or let your kids and their friends have parties at your house. You will never be a "cool" parent. Well, not cool in their eyes . So if your motivation behind everything you do is for that title, you are wasting your time. Children have a code in their DNA , that will not allow for you to be acknowledged as anything other than someone they must put up with. In their case, DNA means Do not allow. They will not allow us to be so cool and while we are trying to very hard to be the cool parent they will inevitably do something to make us change our hat and have to be the authority figure we are supposed to be. Forever, we as parents are losing "cool points". No matter what your definition of "cool" is, it will not be theirs. In fact most acts we deem as "cool" are really considered embarrassing to your kids. Doubt me? Pick up y

Image via Wikipedia Today , the stay-at-home mom is a dying breed, finding fulfillment and contentment in this difficult decision is a struggle, but with the right sense of humor , and your families best interest at heart, you can survive this . To keep from being the couch potato , bon-bon eating diva, finding things to do shouldn't be a problem with any active family. A few suggestions to keep you busy are listed here: Staying active as a stay at home mom Related articles 10 Sanity-Saving Tips for Moms Who Blog (socialmediamom.com) Research Study of 692 Women Uncovers the Secrets to Losing Baby Weight after Childbirth (eon.businesswire.com) Stay At Home Mom : Overworked, Underpaid, AMAZING! (momblognetwork.com)

Parenting is one of the single most rewarding, yet difficult jobs there are. When they are young, you spend your time teaching, and keeping them safe. As they grow and need you less, you find yourself somehow feeling a disconnect. Teen years are a painful mixture of emotions, hormones, and pressure. Bridging the gap between them and yourself is a challenge, but with determination and patience it can be done. Reconnect with your inner teen - Think back to when you were a teenager. Remember how confusing, painful and fun it all was? Take a look through your high school yearbook. Remember the struggles, the tears and the laughter? Things may be a little different now with your kids, but those emotions are the same and we all had them. Tell your teen about your times, so they can relate to the person you was, when you were in their shoes. Find a quiet place - Offer to take your teen out to eat. Order take out fare and go to a local park and make sure you turn off the cell

Image via Wikipedia We all know how important moms are to our lives. Sometimes, we forget its the little things that mom wants more than any cheesy card or gift. Here are a few suggestions to make mom happy. Read more great ideas here: Showing mom love on Mothers Day Related articles by Zemanta Fabulous Mother's Day Gifts (beso.com) The Best Last Minute Mother's Day Gift and Present Ideas for Mom (holiday-entertaining.suite101.com)

Lets face it , kids are savvy negotiators these days. Long gone are the times when as a kid,one stern look from dad, or the sound of a belt buckle coming undone sent you into action. Here are some strategies and  tactics for getting  your clever kids to do their chores. Give them options - Let your kids decide from a list what chores they want to do. You make the list. Kids are far more willing to abide by their own choices than they are to follow your orders. Make sure you make the list according to their age and ability. When teaching young children to clean their rooms, make it as fun as possible, and break it down into small goals, ie: "pick up all the toys with the color red", etc. This keeps their mind active, and gives them small achievable goals. Offer Incentives - Give your kid an incentive list they can pick their own reward from. Here again, you want to have a limit and you want to name the reward. We don't want to promise things to them tha

Image via Wikipedia Corey Haim , child star of the Lost Boys etc, was found dead in his apartment from an apparent drug overdose at the age of 38. How do we fight this battle in our own families to avoid this tragic end? Sadly, drug use enters into a family much like a thief in the night. By the time you realize it, it is usually well in force. Family members find themselves in unfamiliar territory as they journey through this devastating attack on their loved ones. Fighting a drug problem, whether your own or a family members takes courage and determination. Summoning support for a wide variety of resources is the only way to combat it head on.  Read more here: Helping an addicted loved one If you or a family member is suffering from addiction, seek information, support and help from :  The Addicted Family . Related articles D ysfunctional families and addiction Amy Winehouse death a sobering reminder Addiction to Ambien Another South Carolina baby testing posit

Image via Wikipedia Grief is a painful life changing process, support is needed through out the process.. With all the tragedies happening in the world today, people are experiencing great losses world wide. The pain of losing a loved one is overwhelming. It is an assault to ones senses and takes time and support to get through. Witnessing a family member or friend going through this difficult time is extremely hard. Offering supportive assistance and helping out even with menial tasks can be a great source of comfort, and a warm gesture of love. Offer to help- Loved ones going through the grieving process are oblivious to little details, and are wrought with pain. As a supportive friend or family member, offering to help with any chores, duties, tying up loose ends are invaluable. No offer is too little or too small. Small things are what get overlooked and this is where you can be the most help in what feels like such a helpless position to be in. Be The eyes

Image via Wikipedia Is there anything worse than a spoiled child ? Yes, a spoiled adult child, the end result. Lets face it, we all have the yearning to always give our children everything they need and want, but to do so well beyond the childhood years is ridiculous. Being a constant "go to" for all your child's problems turns you into a crutch, they never learn to walk with out. Come up with a plan - Start teaching your children early on what you expect out of them. By the time your child is out of high school, they should have a plan in mind for life. Encourage them to discuss their plans with you. Offer suggestions, such as college, trade school , or they are going to have a full time job . If they seek higher education , via college or trade school and drop out before completing, teach them the err of their ways by insisting they pay back any money you spent to put them there. Make sure they understand what you expect by the time they reach adulthood.