Surviving (Your Child's) Adolescence

Motivation

Parenting Through the Middle-School Motivation Loss

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on October 14, 2019

Becoming a middle school student is challenging in many adolescent ways. Parents can be there to help when the transition becomes hard.

Becoming a middle school student is challenging in many adolescent ways. Parents can be there to help when the transition becomes hard.

Relationships

Growing a Satisfying Relationship With Your Adult Child

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on September 30, 2019

As an older adolescent develops into a young adult, the parent often needs to emphasize different roles if closeness is to continue to grow between them.

As an older adolescent develops into a young adult, the parent often needs to emphasize different roles if closeness is to continue to grow between them.

Adolescence

Adolescence and the Psychology of Self-Defeat

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on September 16, 2019

Part of growing up is occasionally becoming stuck in harmful patterns of behavior; part of being a parent is helping adolescents break free.

Part of growing up is occasionally becoming stuck in harmful patterns of behavior; part of being a parent is helping adolescents break free.

Friends

When a Middle School Best Friendship ("BFF") Falls Apart

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on September 2, 2019

Best friendships are bonded, intimate relationships in mine-adolescence; and when that bond is broken there is much hurt to experience and grieving to do.

Best friendships are bonded, intimate relationships in mine-adolescence; and when that bond is broken there is much hurt to experience and grieving to do.

Parenting

Parenting Adolescents and the Doing of Homework

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on August 19, 2019

One of the least popular parts of secondary education is homework, it can often create demands that cause tension between parent and teenager in the family.

One of the least popular parts of secondary education is homework, it can often create demands that cause tension between parent and teenager in the family.

Adolescence

Why Adolescence Can Be the Harder Half of Parenting

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on August 5, 2019

Parenting is an adventure into the unexpected, and it becomes more so when the adventurous process of adolescent growing up begins.

Parenting is an adventure into the unexpected, and it becomes more so when the adventurous process of adolescent growing up begins.

Media

Adolescent Questions about Teenage Apathy

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on July 22, 2019

For parents, making sure their adolescent has enough caring activities and relationships is important to do because significant lack of caring can lead to unhappy outcomes.

For parents, making sure their adolescent has enough caring activities and relationships is important to do because significant lack of caring can lead to unhappy outcomes.

Grief

When Parents Resent a Child for Turning Into an Adolescent

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on July 8, 2019

Loss of the adoring and adorable child's precious childhood can be a grievous one for parents who may fault the young person for the loss instead of normal adolescent change.

Loss of the adoring and adorable child's precious childhood can be a grievous one for parents who may fault the young person for the loss instead of normal adolescent change.

Adolescence

How Change Drives the Parent-Adolescent Relationship

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on June 24, 2019

Managing to stay caringly and communicatively connected as adolescence redefines their relationship is what parent and teenager need to do

Managing to stay caringly and communicatively connected as adolescence redefines their relationship is what parent and teenager need to do

Adolescence

Adolescent Questions about Growing Up as an Only Child

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on June 10, 2019

Growing up as an only child can be very empowering from all the attention parents pay and all the investment they make, while their expectations can also create a lot of pressure

Growing up as an only child can be very empowering from all the attention parents pay and all the investment they make, while their expectations can also create a lot of pressure

Procrastination

Adolescent Questions About Procrastination

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on May 27, 2019

Putting tasks off until later can become burdensome when future obligations pile up, while chronic delay may cause personal stress and aggravation in others

Putting tasks off until later can become burdensome when future obligations pile up, while chronic delay may cause personal stress and aggravation in others

Divorce

Easing the Impact of Parental Divorce on Their Adolescents

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on May 13, 2019

Creating a working parental partnership with your ex-spouse means making an effort to get along for the sake of the kids. Observing little courtesies is part of how this is done.

Creating a working parental partnership with your ex-spouse means making an effort to get along for the sake of the kids. Observing little courtesies is part of how this is done.

Proxemics

Parents and the Importance of the Adolescent Bedroom

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on April 29, 2019

The adolescent bedroom gathers telling power as the young person increasingly treats it as a personal reflection and statement of who they are and how they are becoming.

The adolescent bedroom gathers telling power as the young person increasingly treats it as a personal reflection and statement of who they are and how they are becoming.

Adolescence

The Power of Parental Listening to their Adolescent

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on April 15, 2019

To keep parents and teenagers well connected as adolescence pushes them apart, parents must listen when their teenager wants to talk.

To keep parents and teenagers well connected as adolescence pushes them apart, parents must listen when their teenager wants to talk.

Alcoholism

Talking About Drug Use with Your Adolescent

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on April 1, 2019

Availability of recreational substances presents parents with yet one more important topic of concern with their teenager. This should be an ongoing conversation.

Availability of recreational substances presents parents with yet one more important topic of concern with their teenager. This should be an ongoing conversation.

Parenting

Parenting Adolescents and How Much to Control

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on March 18, 2019

The agony of parenting can be letting go, while the hardship of parenting can be holding on. This is the abiding question: how to know when to do which?

The agony of parenting can be letting go, while the hardship of parenting can be holding on. This is the abiding question: how to know when to do which?

Leadership

Eight Self-Disciplinary Skills and Readiness for College

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on March 4, 2019

It takes a strong work ethic supported by basic self-disciplinary skills to successfully cope with college.

It takes a strong work ethic supported by basic self-disciplinary skills to successfully cope with college.

Resilience

Talking About Failure with Your Adolescent

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on February 19, 2019

It's important that parents provide a constructive perspective about failure.

It's important that parents provide a constructive perspective about failure.

Beauty

Adolescence and the Desire for Physical Beauty

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on February 4, 2019

To the degree that people "judge a book by its cover," adolescents can value themselves and feel valued by others according to the "cover" of physical appearance.

To the degree that people "judge a book by its cover," adolescents can value themselves and feel valued by others according to the "cover" of physical appearance.

Parenting

Parenting Adolescents in Today's Computer World

Carl E Pickhardt Ph.D. on January 21, 2019

Although I don't believe the basic developmental process of adolescent growth has changed much one generation to the next, the technological context is dramatically different today

Although I don't believe the basic developmental process of adolescent growth has changed much one generation to the next, the technological context is dramatically different today