TEENS AT HOME, AT SCHOOl, AT WORK

Today's adolescent attempts to balance a home life with a demanding school schedule and, in many cases, either athletics, a part-time job, or both. Some teens put in 60-70 hour work weeks, and we wonder why homework assignments and chores are not always completed accurately or in a timely fashion.

HOMEWORK: A student hoping for above average grades can expect to receive 2-3 hours of schoolwork per evening. Only about a third of this can be completed during school time. STUDY SCHEDULE: Students should build a one- to-two hour study block into their evening schedule. Students who are struggling should study where parents can view them! ON THE JOB: Students have only one important job: Doing well in school! A student who must hold a part time job should work no more than 15 hours per week.!

LET SLEEPING TEENS LIE! Teenagers burn a lot of energy and require more sleep than we realize. When we awaken teenagers, we have to deal with them. By allowing them to sleep in, parents can enjoy peaceful Saturday mornings. The chores can be done in the afternoon. SO, YOUR KID CAN'T SLEEP? A. Establish regular "to bed" and "awaken" times; B. Avoid heavy reading and computer games within one hour of going to bed; C. Visit the NSF web site at: www.sleepfoundation.org.

PARENTS' RIGHTS Parents maintain the right to be parents: to set curfews and phone limits, to have expectations about grades and chores and following rules, to demand healthy choices and positive influences. Yes, parents can even require teens to eat lima beans! THE RIGHTS OF TEENS Adolescents have some rights also: rights to privacy/confidentiality; to express opinions; to make difficult choices; to fail at times; to choose their friends. Parents should resist the urge to read teens' notes....sometimes not knowing is a good thing! RESPONSIBILITIES Accompanying a person's rights is ALWAYS responsibility. If one party violates a trust or damages a relationship, then rights can be taken away: notes can be read, rooms can be searched, and phone calls can be monitored!

It's all quite simple, really....support each other. Never turn your back on those with whom you relate. Kiss each other good night. Say "I love you" when you aren't expecting something in return. Never go to bed angry! Communicate!

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