For the Informed Parent of a Teen

 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...

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10 Questions That Make High School Choices More Relevant

 Podcast:   Parenting Your "Nearly Grown"   JUST.   GOT.   EASIER. 
   "10 Questions Every Teen Should Answer." 

Your Teen Can Tap Into Their Future Potential Right Now 

As I watched my class of students intently absorb what I just handed to them, I realized I was tapping into something much larger than what was on that paper. 

What if kids were in a position to actually think about their future now while still in high school?  It results in more motivation, better decisions on courses, and so much more.

What was on that paper these students were reading?  Research about careers they might be interested in.  Now let me make the following statement clear:  very few students know what they want to pursue as a career while in high school.  But wouldn't it be wonderful if they did know enough to rule things in and out, to give lessons a meaning beyond a textbook...

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Can this 10 Point Strategy to Beginning ACT-SAT Prep work at your house?

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

10 Points to a ACT-SAT Beginning Prep Strategy  

It's finally arrived.  You have child around the 8th-9th-10th grade and you've only heard about the ACT-SAT.  Then you just might be interested in this 10-point strategy to getting started.  

If you've just now begun to hear about the ACT-SAT, you'll know that it is seriously in transition. 

You might even be thinking: "it sounds like it might be going away, so we aren't going to worry about it at our house."

Before you 100% commit to the "forget it" strategy, you will want to learn a few details mentioned in this podcast.  

If you are of a "Scarlett O'Hara" mindset:  "I'll think about that tomorrow", many make that same mistake. 

Before you 100% commit to "waiting to think about it," you will want to learn a few details mentioned in this...
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Graduation Cancelled? No Worries, Make it Even Better

 
What if I told you that you could make your child the star of their own graduation, include all family members, friends, and yes, even school teachers/profs - and do it for little or no money?  Yes, you can make the most of this milestone, despite all the obstacles we face.  (note:  missing prom . . . then skip to bottom for a link to help)
 
 
[Cue the music] 
“Pomp and Circumstance” wafts through the room.  Your family is there.  Tears. Relief. The Future.  Your baby (or family member) is graduating.  
 
Can that moment still happen for your sweet graduate?  Actually, the answer of “yes” is closer to the truth than you think.

If your school has to cancel or postpone this major milestone (understandable, by the way), there are steps you can take to make that moment, that day, that achievement something to remember – just from a different perspective.  In fact, your child needs to...

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Prom Cancelled? Don't give Up. Just Re-Imagine It!

 

Is your school having to cancel prom?  It's totally understandable but it doesn't stop the disappointment our teens experience.   Well, in these times, there IS a way to create that magic for our kids.  I know time will tell, but there is a chance that they will be able to look back and be the unique kids of the year 2020, the teens that rose to the occasion, and started new trends and celebrated differently – but still celebrated. 

We, as parents, can help.  Let’s roll up our sleeves and think differently.  Here are some great ideas on making your child’s prom memorable – albeit a bit differently. 

I’m Pam Hardison with JellyGeneration, where our mission is to help parents navigate the last “at home” season with their kids before they hit the road. 

Make it PROM-TASTIC – Go Virtual

As we begin, please remember that proms around the country are generally school-sponsored affairs so you...

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3 Ideas to make Winter Break Count starting NOW - for Your "Nearly Grown" child

JellyGeneration knows parents & students have more “need to know” than time. Join them on their journey as they break down financial and legal issues into practical and usable information.

Never Let a Good Crisis Go To Waste

Even a political phrase can be used in our daily lives. In fact, the upcoming holiday season offers high school and college-aged students just such an opportunity. We all crave control over our own financial destiny and the last two months of the year present not only a large need to get that control, but unparalleled possibilities in how to achieve it. Everyone faces how to avoid a cash crunch during the holidays. Time Inc., reminded us of why millennials see even more enticing advertising than other buying groups: The 4 Most Sought After Shoppers

The millennial generation gets a lot of attention from retailers. Americans in the mid-teens to late 20s represent the country’s largest demographic, so it’s understandable that...

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Now What?

After working with countless high school students on potential career research, here is what I can report to we parents:

  • Our kids do have amazing career dreams
  • They have no idea what that potential career really requires
  • They are often shocked when they find out

 What happens then?

  • Are they heading in the wrong career direction?
  • Can they afford the career they are aiming for? (from the salary to the yrs of school ahead)?
  • Do they waste 2-4 years at the wrong college?

 What’s a parent to do?

1st:  Make a list.
As you probably know, our big parent move/wish is for every parent to make a “list” of things you want your “nearly flown” to experience and learn before they fly off.  It’s that gap between what they are learning in school vs. what we teach naturally at home that often trips we parents up.

Getting your child to research potential careers pays huge dividendswhen you place it on your “to-do” list for your...

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Homecoming, Teen Money Management and Designer Jeans

 
A $400 pair of designer jeans.
A restaurant with linen table cloths and the waiter that places the napkin in their lap 
A limo.

Welcome to HS and College Homecoming.       

But what else is Homecoming? 

It's a unique moment.  If you know us at all, you know we are all about creating a list of things to teach our "nearly flown" before they have left our sphere of influence .  What's fun?  Finding teachable moments that our kids don’t even recognize as such.   
It's like hiding veggies in the spaghetti-o’s.  (fyi, I tried that, it that doesn’t work !)

Homecoming provides teachable moment all wrapped up in scoreboards, yard lines, and cheering.  One of the huge items on my list to teach my kids was money management.  Do you have a teaching list yet?   Doing so helps you reduce worrying and sleepless nights.  

Remember those $400 jeans?  This amount was spent by a parent for...

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3 Must Knows for Great Teacher Recommendations

What every parent wants to hear is . . . 

"Sign that young lady up!"
"Gotta have him at this school."
"Wow, this child sounds amazing."
 
And of course . . . 
"That kid must have great parents!" 
 
Every year our teens go in search of recommendations.  Whether it is to get into college, that organization, or that job, getting great written support letters are more actively sought than tickets to the latest hot-commodity pop star's concert.  (Side bonus point here:  this information can work for we parents too when we need to solicit support!)
 

How Do Our Teens Get Good Recommendations from Superiors?

It won't come as any surprise that having set up a good relationship first, where the teacher really knows your teen, is the best advice.  Perhaps your teen has already done so.  If not, the double payoff of helping your teen learn self-confidence through talking with their teachers and ultimately helping them when the...
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Lions, Tigers and Personal Identity Protection, Oh My!

Online information on our teens?  and Us?  Scary. Hackers, lurkers, information sells and more really exist.   But so often we overlook the small things that WE can do to reduce this concern.   

Let's kick up protection up a notch. 

Here are 3 ways you can up your protection game for your teen - and YOU.

  1. Social Security Numbers are gold.

    Sadly, the “bad guys” know that too.  It’s time to check your child’s social security number for earnings.  Someone might have used it to seek employment – and that someone might not be your “nearly-grown” child. 

 Register it for notification.  There’s a link in the above article as well for how to  report fraud if you find it.  Here’s hoping you go on this “hunting” trip and find NOTHING unexpected.

  1. But what about we parents?

    ...

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