As a therapist, I often have families and couples who come in and inform me that they have a contract, signed, that their child is not following. Sometimes another therapist has helped them come up with this contract, and other times they have crafted it all on their own. I have seen contracts for everything, including getting good grades, finishing chores, changing attitudes, and behaving in a better way. While every contract has been different, they all have one thing in co

One way that all parents influence their teenagers is through the resources they offer. Resources include your time, your money, your things, your advice, and anything else that is given to better their life. Examples of resources include a therapist for the depressed child, a tutor for the student struggling in school, or paying for a child’s travel ball team. A parent’s resources sometimes create an opportunity for the child to have fun. More important resources offer the p

Bullying is an issue that everyone is talking about. Many programs have been created recently attempting to reduce the bullying going on in schools. There are many forms of bullying including cyberbullying, physical bullying, and emotional or verbal bullying. Whether we admit it or not it comes from other teens, teachers, parents, and even coaches. It becomes complicated because the perpetrators often don’t see themselves as the bad guys and the victims are often seen as wron