Parenting: Grandparents could use good gift ideas for the kids

Q: My daughter is 2. She is the only grandchild and both sets of grandparents totally overindulged her at the holidays. Do you have any suggestions that will help me for next year?

A: As we grow older and have children, it's so important that our parents see us as adults and respect us in our own role as parents. But sometimes, in the excitement and joy of having a grandchild, new grandparents overdo it with gifts and simply overlook our wishes and reactions.

Developing some guidelines for gift-giving by all extended family members may help -- both for the holidays and in the long run. To read more...

What each kid needs to know and parents need to teach by Barbara Curtis

Since sitting through yet another community theater performance marred by an out-of-control child and an overly indulgent mom, I've been giving more thought to this unhappy phenomenon and realizing that the roots go deeper than parents simply disregarding good manners.

In 36 years of mothering, one thing I've learned: Addressing behavioral problems can often be like trying to fix a broken bone with a Band-aid. What I mean is that our desire for a quick fix blinds us to the reality that we have a lot of work to do to become the parents our kids need. To read more...

Materialism spikes in a generation

CHICAGO (AP) -- Melissa Greenwood sees it every day at her high school: the hyper-focus on designer labels, the must-have trendy cell phones, the classmates driving sport utility vehicles.

"It bothers me because I would like to think I am the opposite," said Melissa, a 16-year-old high school junior from Arlington Heights, an affluent suburb of Chicago. She says she sometimes finds it difficult to avoid the urge to fit in.

"Let's face it," she said. "Honestly, what teenage girl doesn't want to look cute and have the latest accessories?"

Polls show that the obsession with material things is growing and that being rich is more important to young people today than in the past. To read more...

What to Do If Your Teen Begins To Fail
Many teenagers experience times when keeping up with schoolwork is difficult. These periods may last for several weeks and may result in social problems as well as a decline in academic performance.

Some adolescents get through these difficult times with minimal assistance from their parents or teachers. It may be enough for parents to listen to the teenager’s problems and suggest coping strategies, provide a supportive home environment, and encourage the teenager’s participation in extracurricular school activities. To read more...

Thanks to Research Assistant Chelsae Armao who contributed by finding stories to include in this edition of the newsletter.