Podcast:   Parenting Your "Nearly Grown"   JUST.   GOT.   EASIER. 

# 101 It's SUMMER (or any holiday, really).  Statistics say their brain loses knowledge during long breaks.  What does the smart parent do?  Combine learning with FUN. 

Here are 20 activities that can get you started.  You are sure to find quite a few you, and more importantly, your "almost grown child" will love. 

The summer dilemma.  The any long holiday dilemma. Call it holiday slump.  

As a parent, you are probably not "off" for the holidays, but your "mini-you" is.  What might they rather do?  Couch surf or stare at their smart phone for hours on end.  

Then what usually happens? 

Knowledge reduction, less critical thinking, and sluggishness sets in.  You've probably noticed this.  I certainly have.  Experts estimate that often months of capability melt away.

Then September...

 Podcast:   Parenting Your "Nearly Grown"   JUST.   GOT.   EASIER. 

#100 Big decisions loom for you and your "almost grown" child.  Get more information to help you take more informed HUGE steps.  

Decisions.  Constantly.  Never enough time.  Not enough information.  

It is also likely you thought that as your kids got older you'd find more time and have less decisions required.  Maybe you do make a few less decisions, but they often increase in importance.

That's why you are here today.  You want more information and less research time in order to make smarter decisions with and for your "almost grown" child.  

From trends High School grad jobs to ACT-SAT trends and college financing, I've gathered 10 articles you'll want to read.  Each will give you their opinions and research.  No, we are not connected to these businesses/institutions but we found them...

  Podcast:   Parenting Your "Nearly Grown"   JUST.   GOT.   EASIER. 

#99 There is a reason why networking is critical in your personal life. 

"Being likeable and interesting is not necessary" said nearly no one anywhere.  It is not only a crucial skill, but the rewards are many.  From investing in the lives of others you meet, to helping in your business or professional life as well, it's a skill that needs practice.   

With all the amazing benefits of being accomplished at personal networking, many  assume "i will pick this skill up as I go along".   The big heartbreaker in leaving it to "I'll pick it up as I go along" is a big life question.  What amazing relationships, connections, and even life friendships have been left unrealized?  It just doesn't have to be this way.  

Even more importantly, your child can and should learn how to be likeable and...

Ask yourself these questions:

• Does what you "do" every day now (career, time) in anyway "fit" with what you thought, experienced, or spent time doing when you a mere teen? 
• Did you ever think about your future?  Prepare for your future?

Odds are you didn't concentrate on the "after" of traditional high school or perhaps even during college if that's the educational route you took.  

But what if I told you that spending 5 minutes with your teen could help them focus in with intention on what they might want to do with their future? 

What...

  Podcast:   Parenting Your "Nearly Grown"   JUST.   GOT.   EASIER.  

#97:  Everything good can start with an introduction.  Sadly, every missed connection can start with a sub-par introduction, too.  Let's help our kids learn this baseline skill.  

Forbes magazine got it right.  They recently discussed the importance of introductions.  The phrase they used?   Introductions are “immensely important”.  Absolutely.  

Now sprinkle in these 2 timely teen observations: 

• Late teens just beyond in age typically have spent most of their time around the same people: family and the same set of friends they’ve had for 3+ years.  They have not needed to introduce themselves very often.  Now let’s up our observation game here
• Our “almost grown kids” for the better part of 2 years or more, have been hibernating behind a...

 Podcast:   Parenting Your "Nearly Grown"   JUST.   GOT.   EASIER.  

 #96:  Fear. We don't want our teens to have it.  How do they likely create fear in a goal or task AND how can they conquer it?  

Let's face it.  At one time or another, we've all created fear when tackling new things, new goals, and new frontiers in our lives.

You've probably seen your child literally put on the brakes when faced with something you know they are capable of doing or at least successfully for it. 

In this short but important podcast:

• Why does this fear happen?  You just might be surprised at what a study shows on this question.   
• What tool can you give them to reduce certain fears, experience positive outcomes and keep moving forward?  Hint:  it's not what you see.  

This technique is something I use to this day.  You've got a short season left while you can...

 Podcast:   Parenting Your "Nearly Grown"   JUST.   GOT.   EASIER. 

 #95:  Can you teach your "nearly grown" about inflation.  (Yes, they need to know.)  Here's how.

Does the topic inflation need to be difficult to cover?  No.  The lessons they need to learn are so important.  It affects so many of the decisions they'll need to make on their own.  Teach 'em the basics now.  Here's a simple explanation, and an easy to use example

AND 5 "what now" steps

If you opened your wallet and there was less money in it than you expected, you'd want to know why.

You'd want to know how.
You'd want to know how to to prevent it from happening or at least slow it down.

Your "almost grown" child needs to know it as well. 

Soon they will be managing their own money and their own budget.  Every drip of knowledge and advice you can slip into their still-forming brain is helpful.  

Every...

We've all learned how to teach 2 + 2, that Columbus sailed the ocean blue, and the Gettysburg Address, and how to ride a bike.  

But teaching them emotional tools?  Why haven't we taught them more of this?  Can it be done?  In short, YES.

Your child (and mine) need as many...

You waved goodbye (or soon will) as your child drove off to their adult life while trying to hide your parent-tears. 

Now what? 

Do you have to say goodbye to those parent-friends you met over 12 years?  Must you lose touch with your child's friends you've grown to love like your own?  

In short?  No.  Having lived thru this goodbye scenario twice, I am happy to tell you there is a FUN way to keep in touch with everyone.  What's more?  There is a hidden BONUS in this method as well.  It's likely to actually get your child to phone home and...

How can your child up the odds of hearing those statements?  Quite simply, they need to do just a bit more than most others will.  They need to take just a few extra steps to receiving recommendations that are not only good, but provide information that the interviewer or...