Parent

Softball Coaching Tips ? Dealing with 5 Common Parent Types

February 9, 2011 By admin Leave a Comment

When you’re coaching youth softball teams, the first thing you’ll notice is the huge role player’s parents play in the team. They’re not a part of the team itself, but they can help make or break the team depending on their attitude.

The key here is knowing the common types of parents and learning how to deal with them. I’m not trying to stereotype parents here, but it helps a lot to recognize certain traits and curbing the bad ones. Realize, too, that some traits will overlap so, look out for them.

Let me show you some of the most common parent types here:

The Model Parent

This is the dream parent that softball coaches want to work with. They’re the ones who understand when to step in and when to let coaches do their work. They’re not pushy when they give suggestions. And when they do provide suggestions, they’re suggestions and not commands.

Model parents may also display other common types of traits, but they’re a lot easier to deal with.

The Competitive Parent

Competitive parents are great in the sense that they always try to motivate their kids to try harder and become better players. The only problem is when a parent becomes too competitive and becomes an obnoxious presence in the team.

They’ll also try to provide you with regular advice on how to coach the team better. If they’re not obnoxious, just try to be a little more patient as they give you their advice.

The ‘Living through Your Kids’ Parent

Some parents couldn’t seem to get over their past glory as a softball player. They typically talk to their kids starting with this line, “when I was your age.”

Like competitive parents, they’re the types who try to push their kids a little harder than most. But when they push their kids too hard, that’s where the problem begins.

What you can do is to nicely tell them that their kid is working hard enough, and tell them if their kid reached a certain milestone or set a record for the team. This might help lessen the pressure they give to their kids.

The ‘Coach’ Parent

Again, there will be parents who will think they can do a better job than you. And it’s typical with the ‘coach’ parent.

The good thing with this type of parent is that it’s good if they can work with you. At least you’ll have somebody to throw ideas around with. It only becomes problematic when they try to coach your team behind your back. So try as much as possible to get them on your side.

The Negative Parent

This is probably one of the worst parent types you have to deal with. It’s the parent type who never sees anything good with how you coach, how your players play the game, etc.

You need to be able to deal with this kind of parent before he/she even wreaks havoc in the team.

Again, this isn’t about stereotyping parents, but looking for signs that may set off trouble in the team. And the earlier you deal with them, the easier it will be for you to handle potential problems.

Marc Dagenais is Softball Peak Performance Coach that helps softball players turn their athletic talent into extraordinary performances and help coaches get more out of their players, turn their struggling team around or get an edge over their opponents. Visit us at http://www.softballperformance.com/softball-tips/softball-coaching-tips.html

Article from articlesbase.com

What’s a Parent to Do? Educating your Troubled Teen

December 17, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

So when adolescents develop behavioral problems, mood disorders or social issues that interrupt their education, parents are doubly distressed. For troubled teens, almost by definition, have trouble in school.

Dealing with a troubled teen is an enormous challenge for both parents and teachers. Public schools, hard pressed to meet the academic needs of normal students, are often not equipped to meet the emotional demands of the problem student. Many parents consider boarding school or military academy just to get their child back into a classroom, but even in those closed and structured environments many troubled teens will continue to struggle.

What’s a parent to do? Many start by seeking advice from other parents who have dealt or are dealing with a troubled teen. Hearing about a program first-hand from someone who’s been in your shoes can save you valuable time, money and frustration when it comes to helping your own child.

Other parents outreach to independent educational consultants who handle special needs clients. These professionals, many of whom are former educators and guidance counselors, can identify and help you select a suitable school or program for your teen. Depending on the teen’s specific problems, recommendations might include emotional growth schools, therapeutic boarding schools, home-based residential programs, therapeutic wilderness programs, or residential treatment centers.

If the choices seem bewildering, it’s because there are many valid approaches today for treating troubled teens. Currently several hundred programs exist, serving 10,000 to 20,000 students annually. Pulitzer Prize-winning writer David L. Marcus looked at one such program in his recent book, What It Takes to Pull Me Through: Why Teenagers Get in Trouble and How Four of Them Got Out. His study of the complex world of troubled teenagers was conducted at the Academy at Swift River, an emotional growth school in western Massachusetts. The success of his book is indicative of the growing interest in and demand for programs to serve a growing segment of America’s twenty-nine million adolescents.

Nor has the phenomenon been lost on the media. ABC’s reality series Brat Camp shows the choices faced by nine families dealing with out-of-control teenagers with problems like ADHD, drug addiction, promiscuity and fighting. Each chooses to send their teen to SageWalk, a wilderness school in rural Oregon, hoping that after the 50-day program is over they’ll get back the children they once knew.

With attention like this, industry critics have emerged as well. Some charge program operators of profiteering by promising miracles to desperate parents, but many more cite the overall lack of federal regulations and the patchwork of state regulations that govern the behavioral health care industry. Right now, therapeutic and emotional growth schools are regulated like ordinary boarding schools. Except for residential treatment centers, there are no regulations requiring specific educational or professional credentials for program operators. There is also no uniform set of national, government-endorsed standards by which parents can judge a program’s effectiveness.

Fortunately, high and rigorously enforced standards are in place for these schools and programs—standards imposed by the industry itself.

NATSAP

In 1999, concerned about the industry’s lack of uniform ethical and practice guidelines to protect at-risk teens and families in crises, The Family Foundation School joined six other programs and a small group of individuals to form the National Association of Therapeutic Schools and Programs (NATSAP). Today, with more than 170 members, NATSAP serves as an advocate and resource for innovative organizations that devote themselves to the effective care and education of struggling young people and their families. Envisioning “a nation of healthy children,” NATSAP has become the voice that inspires, nurtures and validates its member schools and programs.

Parents and others concerned about the efficacy and integrity of therapeutic programs in an otherwise unregulated industry can turn to NATSAP for guidance. The association serves as an unofficial watchdog, calling attention to substandard and predatory programs that can injure participants emotionally, psychologically, physically and financially. While the vast majority of therapeutic schools and programs provide treatment rooted in sound clinical practice and concern for the growth and well-being of the young people they serve, there are operations that lack respect and sensitivity to individual needs, that rely solely on internal feedback and consequently fail to learn, improve or grow.

NATSAP has established benchmarks first and foremost for treatment and behavioral practices that reduce risk, promote safety, and demand continuous program improvements. The organization provides members with the latest research on treating troubled teens and tested methods for helping families in crises. It has also established admissions guidelines that protect parents from false advertising and misleading claims of services. Most important, it has established and enforces ethics and practice standards for its members, and adds to these standards regularly.

We want to make it clear that NATSAP is not an accrediting or licensing body, but an independent, voluntary organization. It does not provide placement services. However, it is an indispensable resource and a good first stop for parents pursuing a placement for their child in any program. By choosing a NATSAP member, you can be sure you’re dealing with an organization that is serious about how you are served, who values ethical integrity, who recognizes how vulnerable a family is when making the difficult decision to place a child outside the home, and whose primary goal is the education, growth and well-being of your troubled teen.

The Right Match

Each adolescent at risk has specific needs that must be determined in detail before he or she can be successfully placed in a therapeutic school or program. As a parent, you can make sure the ultimate match is the correct one by arranging for whatever academic and psychological tests may be necessary, and by using multiple informational sources before making your final decision. The industry offers a wide and growing array of program types, lengths of stay, and services to meet the needs of a variety of troubled young people—which is a good reason to review your choices with the help of an educational consultant. As we mentioned above, these independent professionals know the industry inside out and will work with you and your child to find the best possible placement. (To locate a consultant near you, visit Independent Educational Consultants Association website). Whether you decide to work with a consultant, with referrals from other parents, or to strike out on your own, you owe it to yourself and your child to find out as much as possible about this segment of the educational field, and the journey on which you’re about to embark.

The good news is that all the information you could possibly want—and then some—is as close as your computer. Since an Internet search of “trouble teens” will yield millions of hits, you should probably begin by checking out the websites of schools or programs you’ve heard of, or have been referred to (they all have websites). Or start with NATSAP, or another online directory of schools and programs for troubled teens. One we recommend is http://strugglingteens.com. Developed by the highly respected industry newsletter Woodbury Reports, this website provides a wealth of news, information, and research findings pertaining to teens at risk. Here you can find valuable insights into the industry and of particular help is the coverage of new schools and programs, and of what works in this industry and what doesn’t.

Other organization websites worth visiting are the American Psychological Association,National Association of Social Workers, National Board for Certified Counselors, and American Association of Marriage and Family Therapists.

It’s been said that the primary job of youth is to get an education. When troubled teens fall down on the job, it is up to us as parents, counselors and educators to make sure they’re given a hand up and a way back to the classroom. For this we need a strong network of therapeutic schools and programs.

Emmanuel A. Argiros and Sidney F. Parham, Ph.D. are associated with the Family Foundation School. The Family Foundation School has guided thousands of troubled teens toward responsible adulthood with character education that includes the 12-Step program of recovery and its spiritual principles, rigorous academics including special academic support where needed, psychological counseling, and a strong and experienced faculty and staff. More information can be found at http://www.thefamilyschool.com.

Article from articlesbase.com

The Struggling Teen – How To Parent Teen Depression

December 1, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

What do you do when confronted with teen depression? Do you let your struggling teen stay in bed and let him off homework and other household chores? Here are some tips to help you to parent teen depression.

Some teens talk excessively about their problems. That is fine although one study has linked that sort of endless talking to teen depression because scientists say that sad thoughts only make it worse as they release the wrong chemicals in our brains. You have to find the right balance between being a good listener but at the same time helping them to move on. Make sure your child is active. Depression is no excuse for not making his bed or other chores or homework for that matter. Encourage them to be active, stay with them and try to bond more. Try talk therapy. It is not brain surgery. Ask why he is down to-day. Probe gently as to what is going on. Tell him to look at it from another angle. Why not let this thought go? Sympathise with the problem and then encourage problem solving. How are you going to cope with this? This always a good question to ask. Don’t let them avoid responsibilities. Just because they are down, they still have to get on with schoolwork. Staying in bed is another no-no. Encourage optimism and physical activities. Being active is a great way to get endorphins (the happy chemicals) into the brain. Tell your struggling teen that people who do sports are much less likely to be depressed.

These are just some of the things you can learn from a child behavior program when you have to deal with teen depression. The struggling teen will demand a lot of care and attention but by learning a few simple techniques, you can help him or her to overcome teen depression.

Ask one of America’s leading behavior therapists how he deals with teen depression . Learn more about behavior modification techniques

Article from articlesbase.com

Academic Summer Camp Provides Parent Support

August 3, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

For many years at SuperCamp, parents would ask us if we could start a program for them, to help them learn what their sons and daughters are learning at SuperCamp. In response, we started Parent Weekend an intensive three-day parent program that coincides with the final three days of a 10-day Junior Forum or Senior Forum student programs at the same location. The parents who attend love it, including graduating with their children on the final day.

In addition to exposing parents to many of the learning and life skills their sons and daughters discover at SuperCamp, we also talk with parents about how they can support their children at home. Here are nine great tips we share with parents of Senior Forum students, also known as “teens”:

*Listen, really listen. Don’t try to listen while doing something else. Put your chores aside so your teen knows you are paying attention.

*Take the long view. Remember, minor mishaps aren’t major catastrophes. All incidents provide opportunities to practice good communication. Often, categorizing incidents according to their importance will help keep responses and consequences appropriate. Choose only the most important issues to evoke the strongest consequences.

*Make time for being together. Find activities you enjoy doing together and pursue them. If your invitation gets turned down, keep trying!

*Tolerate differences. View your teenager as an individual distinct from you. However, this doesn’t mean you can’t state your opinion if you disagree.

* Respect your teen’s privacy. Just because he/she wants to keep their door locked, doesn’t mean he/she is doing anything you wouldn’t approve of. But, if a behavior is worrying you, speak up!

*State facts instead of opinions when you praise or discuss problems. Ask your teen to demonstrate “Open the Front Door” – a communication tool we use at SuperCamp. O – is an objective observation about the situation. T – is a thought or opinion about what you observed. F – is a feeling you had about what you observed. D – is what you want, your desire or outcome of the situation. Practicing this together is great for keeping the doors open!

*Ask your teen about his/her learning style. Knowing there are differences goes a long way toward explaining why we have problems understanding and communicating with some people and not with others. When you know what cues he/she picks up on most easily (visual, auditory or kinesthetic), you can take steps to help him/her learn faster and more easily.

*Support a positive attitude about learning. Create a positive study environment that includes appropriate reference materials, music and reminders that he/she is intelligent (like old report cards, awards, notes from teachers…). It is also helpful to demonstrate your own positive feelings about learning.

*Celebrate success! Positive feedback goes a long way to encourage repeat behavior. Each accomplishment by a family member deserves acknowledgement, whether verbal or by means of a special treat, like a trip to the movies, a special dessert, or posting on the bulletin board.

By practicing these nine techniques, parents will help build a better bond with their sons and daughters, improve communication, and ultimately be a part of their teens’ success.

Go to http://www.SuperCamp.com for more information and access to a free eBook that gives you an inside look at what works with teens from a world leader in youth achievement, SuperCamp co-founder Bobbi DePorter.

Voluntary Work In Africa – The Parent Problem?

July 25, 2010 By admin Leave a Comment

Voluntary work in Africa can provide tremendous challenge and excitement. There’s not only the chance to do real good for people less fortunate than ourselves, there’s the opportunity to experience different cultures, to travel through a fascinating country and to enjoy some exhilarating leisure time with white water rafting, bungee-jumping at Victoria Falls and Elephant safaris to name just a few. It really does change people’s lives.

Volunteering in Africa is open to people of all ages but it is particularly popular with young people and gap year students in particular – which is where we come to the parent problem. In fact it’s not a problem at all but an area of real and understandable concern.

People in their late teens and early twenties are attracted by many aspects of doing voluntary work in Africa, whether that’s helping with lions at renowned conservation areas like Antelope Park, teaching orphans in Zanzibar or working as medical assistants in Cape Town. There is also – not surprisingly – the adventure aspect. Africa is somewhere that offers adventure like perhaps nowhere else on earth!

It’s also, sadly, a region of some instability and some areas have ongoing violence which we see regularly on our TV screens. This is what troubles parents. Let’s face it, many parents pick up at least some part of the tab for their child’s trip so obviously they expect them to be going somewhere that is safe!

The truth is that no reputable volunteer organization would ever put their charges in harms way. In fact quite the opposite. Most go to great lengths to ensure volunteer safety at all times, from collecting them at the airport to ensuring secure accommodation and having trained staff advise them of safe practice in all areas. A good volunteer organization isn’t at present going to go into places like Eritrea or Djibouti, but with the right support countries like Zimbabwe, South Africa, Mozambique, Kenya and Zambia are no more dangerous than California or Buckinghamshire.

People doing voluntary work in Africa aren’t wrapped in cotton wool but their security and safety is paramount. The responsible organizations working there couldn’t allow it to be any other way. There are always rotten apples in every bunch and it’s always the bad ones that hit the headlines. Fortunately it’s a tiny majority and the rest offer young people a fabulous opportunity for excitement and the remarkable satisfaction you get from making a real difference to other people’s lives. Concern is perfectly reasonable and you should never be afraid to ask your chosen volunteer group the most difficult questions you can think of. Their responses will either give you confidence in their ability… or you can find someone else.

There’s much more to voluntary work in Africa than we can put in a single article! You need to check out Voluntary Work Africa. It’s not just a blog but a one-to-one service where you can get answers to all your questions. We would love to hear from you!