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 Parenting teens can be a monumental task. It requires patience, diligence, open communication and above all, a positive attitude. While there may be a few bumps in the road, it can be a rewarding experience. Today's teens and tweens have more pressure than ever. Between academic expectations, peer pressure, social acceptance and even cyber-etiquette, the teen subculture is one that parents might have difficulty understanding.
Take the time to research issues you may be encountering with your teen or tween. Use the power of the internet, support groups and friends to talk about how they may have handled certain situations. There are also many professional individual organizations and networks established to provide you with extra assistance.
If adolescence can be conceptualized as a journey from childhood to adulthood, parenting adolescents can also be thought of as a journey. We hope some of the resources we have compiled will help you with this journey!
 Parenting teens: Encouraging responsible behavior
Submitted By: Mayo Clinic Staff
Helping an adolescent become a caring, independent and responsible adult is no small task. Follow these parenting tips for teens, from setting limits to enforcing consequences.
Adolescence can be a confusing time of change for teens and parents alike. But while these years can be difficult, there's plenty you can do to nurture your teen and encourage responsible behavior. Consider these parenting tips for teens.
Show your love
One of the most important parenting tips for teens involves positive attention. Spend time with your teen to remind him or her that you care. Listen to your teen when he or she talks, and respect your teen's feelings. Also, keep in mind that only reprimanding your teen and never giving him or her any justified praise can prove demoralizing. For every time you discipline your teen, aim to compliment him or her twice.
If your teen doesn't seem interested in bonding, keep trying. Regularly eating meals together may be a good way to stay connected to your teen. Better yet, invite your teen to prepare the meal with you. You also might encourage your teen to talk to other supportive adults, such as an uncle or older cousin, for guidance.
 How to deal with mean girl cliques
Are mean girl cliques making your daughter's life miserable? Dealing with these bullying cliques almost seems like a rite of passage for today's pre-teen girls. In fact, there was even a movie, Mean Girls starring Lindsay Lohan, that dealt with this exact subject. In order to help your daughter navigate this difficult time, we have searched out advice from parents, experts and even former mean girls to find out how girls can stand up to bullying cliques.
Many tween and teen girls are struggling with mean girl cliques who pressure them into doing certain things and ostracize or bully them if they don't go along with it. How can you teach your child to stick to her guns, hold her head up high and get through this trying time?
 My Kid's Closet -- Saturday, September 12th
I'd like to talk about the benefits of consigning your children's gently used items at an event -- I know there are a few other events in the Valley and we are actively educating people about the benefits.
We modeled our sale after one in the Midwest that draws over 1,500 families who consign their items and utilize over 30,000 square feet of space.
Benefits of consigning:
- You set your own prices
- You can earn as much as 75% of your sales
- You get to shop the sale BEFORE the public
- If you volunteer for one 3 hour shift the participation fee is only $5 -- the cheapest of any event in the Valley
- You get a check with your sales within 2 weeks
- You determine if you want to pick up your unsold merchandise or donate it to one of the non-profits we work with: Arizona Foster Family Association and the Crisis Pregnancy Center
How it works:
- Sign up to consign on our website (mykidsclosetsale.com)
- Pay consignor fee online or by mailing in a check
- Start preparing items using our detailed instructions on the website
- Order barcode labels which we supply free of charge
- Schedule an appointment to drop off items on either Thursday night, 9/10 or Friday, 9/11
- Drop off items
- Wait for your check!!!
This is our 4th sale and we continue to grow. This year we aim to attract even more shoppers so we can move LOTS of items!!
We accept gently used items -- no rips, stains, tears, or outdated items. We will sell anything that a child needs/wants: clothing, shoes, toys, DVDs, strollers, high chairs, bumbos, exasaucers, bouncy seats, furniture, outdoor toys, etc. Everything is inspected by our team of volunteers so shoppers can expect high quality merchandise.
A new thing we are doing this year is to assit non-profits with fundraising. We will create a flyer for a non-profit to use that lists them and gives sale information. For every flyer that is turned in by a shopper during specific sale hours, we will donate 10% of the sales back to the non-profit. Download a sample flyer here! We have several PTAs taking advantage of this program!!! Contact us to learn more!
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 Additional Resources for Parenting Teens
Not MY Kid
www.notmykid.org
Dedicated to raising awareness about the most prevalent youth and adolescent mental and behavioral health issues.
The Volunteer Center
www.volunteerphoenix.org
Basic tips on transition between tween and teen
Parenting Teens
www.parentingteens.com
A free website for many issues troubling the parents of today's teens.
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movie review: How To Train Your Dragon
