It’s a fact, kids today have a different fashion sense than when we were younger. We can’t blame the teens nowadays though as these styles and trends are dictated by the fashion industry. Have you ever caught yourself saying, “You’re not leaving this house wearing THAT.”? I have - more times than I want to remember.

Know that you are not the only parent dealing with crazy spiked hair and out of this world clothing, like micro-mini skirts or super low-cut jeans and even jeans which hang off the butt. Today’s clothes are meant to reflect ones individuality. It’s not a bad thing - I guess. It’s just that we probably didn’t have as much freedom to express ourselves in a fashion sense back then. If we did, we would have been considered punks or hippies.

Here’s some advise. If you notice your teen wearing clothes that make you frown, take a deep breath and try to compromise so that both of you are pleased with the final result. It’s alright for your teen to be different. The key is working with your teen to find a solution that both of you can live with. Remember, teens can go a bit overboard with their fashion styles especially when they are exposed to TV personalities.

The next time your teen comes out of her room wearing something questionable to school, a family get-together, or any occasion, perhaps you can agree on altering it here and there without dissipating the individual style and expression of your teen. Just remember to “communicate” with each other. While you may not like the outfit, know that you aren’t the issue, your teen is. You are not required to like it or understand it. As a parent, all you can do is to ensure it is somewhat appropriate for the occasion for which it is worn.

Freedom of expression, freedom to voice an opinion, and freedom to choose is a basic right we all have - yup, even your teen. It is important that she feels that you not only approve of her, but that you support her in her desire to be different. This will help her have a higher self-esteem and self-worth. Granted that you are not ecstatic about the outfit; just keep in mind that you love the person wearing it.

For more articles on teens, visit MothersOfTeens.com .

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Puberty is a stage that your pre-teens will go through. This is when they start to go through body changes. It is necessary for you as a parent to talk to them about their changing body. Do you remember when you were going though those changes in your own body? Interestingly, most of us did not get that “talk” from our parents but heard about menstruation and sex from our friends.

Today’s world is a bit different from before. There are more diseases and problems facing teens, it is imperative that we give our teens the knowledge and information to answer the many questions they may have concerning their bodies. Below are some things you can adapt if you have a teen who is going through puberty:

- If you are the type of parent who is open to any discussion, even sex and puberty with your teen - then, plan for a few hours to freely talk to your teen about sex and puberty and any other questions they may have.
- You can check out the library or your local bookstore for books regarding this topic and you can read it together with your pre-teen. Make sure you are there to answer any questions they might have.
- You can both surf the web and visit sites which explain about puberty and body changes.
- Honesty is crucial. Make sure you are honest in every aspect of this subject.
- If this is your first “puberty talk” with your child, you may be nervous. Note that your child could be nervous too.
- If you have a preteen daughter, make sure to discuss the menstrual cycle and answer any questions they might have.
- Explain to your teen that puberty also includes breast enlargement,additional hair gorwth, and hormones.

Be open with your child. Your parents may have not been open but times have changed. Break the taboo chain so that your child is not afraid and does not hesitate to come to you if they need clarity in their ever changing body.

Every child is unique and you need to remind them that. They may develop differently from others at different times too. Assure them that everything is alright. If you wish, you can celebrate “changes” in our child’s body by doing something fun. This way, your preteen will view the changes as positive ones and accept them more readily.

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So … your teen has passed his driving test - he has received his driver’s license and of course is going to start driving. Yikes! Mom and dad begin to worry. It’s summer and the teens will be spending more time on the road. Below are some safety tips you can share with your teens to ensure that they stay safe on the road this summer:

- Let your teen be aware of when he can drive the car. Set the rules. If he is a beginner in driving, start him off by driving only during the day time - perhaps for the first six months. After that, when he starts driving at night make sure to let him know that he can drive only up until a certain time.
- Limit the areas where you allow your teen to drive.
- Until they are well practiced in driving, and until they know the rules of the road by heart, discourage them from taking on any passengers when there is no adult supervision. Remind them that they need to focus on thedriving and not allow their friends to distract them with conversation.
- Be a good example to your teen driver. Avoid using the cell phone or even eating while you are driving. Never tailgate or speed up. Keep it cool - and do not invoke any road rage. Always wear your seat belt. Never drink and drive.
- Drive with them as often as possible during the first few weeks. Remind them of the signs and street names. You could even mix up the routes so they become used to driving to different places.
- Teach your teen how to put gas in the vehicle. Make sure you teach them what proper type of gas your vehicle takes and show them how to put air in the tires as well.
- Make sure that the car your teen is driving is well maintained. Check the tires regularly; windshield wiper fluid; water; brakes; windshield wipers, etc.
- An emegency road kit is helpful too. Make sure to have one in the car.
- Teach your teen how to change a tire, how to use road flares, and what to do in an emergency.

You would probably need to remind your teens about these tips over and over again until it really sinks in. Make sure to mention to your teen that although you trust that they will try their best to be safe while on the road, other drivers may be reckless on the road - so your teen needs to avoid any unfavorable situation.

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It’s summer vacation. The kids are excited. They have been looking forward to it for a while now. The first 2 weeks seems like fun but after a while, you can hear them say that they are bored. How do you keep them from being bore? Here are a few ways:

Go camping. This is a great time for the entire family to get away from it all, and bond. Plan to go swimming, fishing or hiking. You will have fun relaxing with a book while kids enjoy the outdoors. The family can sit around the campfire at night toasting marshmallows, and telling ghost stories.

Build something for your backyard. Try out something small - like a birdhouse. The kids can design and paint it. They can even personalize it with their initials. It’s a wonderful way to get them involved in nature, and the environment.

Go to a museum. What kid is not fascinated by dinosaurs? You can spend a wonderful afternoon browsing all of the ancient exhibits. You can make it more fun by proposing a treasure hunt by going to the gift shop. Pick out several postcards of the exhibit. Then have the kids try to find each one.

Go to the zoo. No matter how often you go - it is always a lot of fun, not to mention educational too. You do not have to limit yourself to a regular zoo. How about visiting a petting zoo in your local area? Kids have the opportunity to get up close and personal with the animals, as well as, feed and pet them.

Go to the mall. Kids love the mall. Plan for an old day trip to your local mall, followed by lunch. Allow kids to browse to their heart’s deisre. You may want to bring some extra money because they will want to buy some stuff if not everything in the mall.

Go to the library or local book store. Encourage the kids to read books and write too. Have the kids choose a book to read.  They can also start a journal entitled, “What I Did on My Summer Vacation.” 

Start a scrapbook album or journal. They can include pictures, or just simply write all about the fun things they did, or experiences they had over the summer.

These are just some ideas to avoid boredom while school is out. There are lots of other things they can do to enjoy the summer vacation and make it memorable. The key is try to do as many family activities so that way, you all enjoy the summer together.

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School’s out and your teens will want to start looking for summer jobs. This is a great way for them to prepare for their future role in the workplace. Answer the following questions  and consider the following top summer jobs for teens below:

Does your teen like sports or is he/she athletic? If your teen is athletic, he or she may opt to work as a lifeguard at a beach, pool, or park. This is great training for them because it teaches discipline, and good ethic.

Does your teen like computer or is he/she interested in computer programming? If so, your child can intern at IBM, or other top-notch companies, wherein, he or she will learn all of the latest computer technology, as well as the ins and outs of software applications.

Does your teen like animals or perhaps want to be a veterenarian? Let your teen work in a veterinarian clinic. It can be an immeasurable source of knowledge.  Any practical experience they gain can only serve to increase their proficiency in this area.

Is your teen is already in college? A wonderful way to spend the summer is to intern in a company which incorporates your teen’s chosen field.  For example, if your teen is studying architecture at college, working for an architect will give them insight, and training, which will become invaluable to them later on.  They can use the company as a reference later on or they may even be offered a job after graduation.

Does your teen want to become a writer?  If he or she is majoring in journalism, any local or national newspaper would be happy to take him, or in as an intern for the summer.  Here, your teen can learn all about writing, publishing, editing, and news coverage.  This would be a wonderful experience to help catapult your teen into a successful career in journalism.

There are so many possibilities for your teens.  Having a summer job teaches about the specificity of the position at hand. It also teaches them what companies expect; what jobs are more competitive than others; learning to work with others; developing a good, strong work ethic; taking criticism; and applying what was learned to their college and life experience.

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