Skip to content

Growing Up Well

  • Home
  • About

Category: Self-Discipline

Taking Control of Your Digital Life

Part 3 in the series on becoming “tech-wise” The first two posts in this series laid down a philosophical framework … More

Adolescence, Balance, Family, Growing Up, Maturing, Media, Media consumption, Parent, Parenting, Preteens, Screens, Screentime, Smartphones, Technology, Teens

Becoming Tech-Wise: Philosophy of Use

Becoming Tech-Wise: Philosophy of Use (Part 2 in series) Technology continues to improve, but is our use of technology improving? … More

Balance, Growing Up, Media, Media consumption, Parenting, Smartphones, Technology, Teens

3 Skills + 1 Passion

For young people to achieve success in their career, it is no longer enough to have a college degree. New … More

Education, Growing Up, Significance, Success, Work

Parenting is Regulating

Every parent should regulate their children’s behavior until they are ready to regulate their own. It will likely be a … More

Adolescence, Chores, Family, Family Life, Growing Up, Independence, Maturing, Preteens, Resiliency, Responsibility, Significance, Teens

The Power of Kindness

Josh was a normal teenager whose father died. His mother moved them from their home in the country to the … More

Adolescence, Bullying, Growing Up, Kids, Kindness, Maturing, Relationship, Resiliency, Significance

Advice for Middle School Kids

Recently, I asked my Facebook friends to give me advice for my 7th graders. Here’s what my friends have learned … More

Advice, Character, Growing Up, Kids, Maturing, Resiliency, Teens, Wisdom

Teach Your Kids Sportsmanship

If more parents focused on character over performance, then we would not need signs like this.

Adolescence, Character, Coaching, Family, Growing Up, Parent, Parenting, Sports, sportsmanship, Youth Sports

Musical Instruments Build the Brain

Consider the many benefits of playing a musical instrument. Every child should try to play some sort of instrument to … More

brain, development, Education, intellect, Music

The Distance Run

I coach middle school cross country, which is not a glamorous job, but it is uniquely rewarding. For young distance … More

Adolescence, Coaching, Growing Up, Hard Work, Kids, Maturing, Parenting, Perseverence, Resiliency, Sacrifices, Sports, Teens, Youth Sports

Tips for Motivating Young Teens

It takes more than a poster to motivate kids. Ask any schoolteacher. Early in their careers, young teachers will spend … More

Adolescence, Education, Family, Family Life, Growing Up, Kids, Maturing, Motivation, Parent, Parenting, Teens

Motivate. Don’t Manipulate Your Kids.

Once again, his room isn’t clean, not by any standard. Her backpack, jacket, and shoes are scattered about the floor … More

Adolescence, Balance, Communication, Encouraging, Family, Family Life, Growing Up, Immaturity, Independence, Kids, Love, Maturing, Preteens, Relationship

Why Young Kids Should Learn to Use Dangerous Things

A friend recently posted on Facebook a picture of her three young children helping their dad build a deck. The … More

Adolescence, Child safety, Consequences, Family, Family Life, Growing Up, Kids, Maturing, Parent, Parenting, Resiliency, Teens, Work

Raising Resilient Children

Resilience is the capacity to recover from adversity and return to well-being. Paul Tough, in his book How Children Succeed, … More

Adolescence, Family, Family Life, Growing Up, Parent, Parenting, Perseverence, Resiliency

The Connected Family

2014 is the first year in American history in which everybody has a mobile device. We are at the saturation … More

Adolescence, Balance, Family, Family Life, Growing Up, Kids, Maturing, Relationship, Technology, Teens

The Peril of Productionism

  My wife and I struggle with what I call productionism. It is a variation of perfectionism. It is the … More

Balance, Community, Family Life, Growing Up, Love, Parenting, Perfectionism, Productionism, Relationship, Significance, Success, Thankfulness

Connect With Your Young Teen

First Connect, Then Guide The best parents are the ones who are deeply connected with their children and offer support … More

Activities, Adolescence, Balance, Book, Children, Communication, Education, Family, Family Life, Friends, Growing Up, Home, Independence, Kids, Love, Maturing, Parent, Parenting, Perseverence, Preteens, Relationship, Resiliency, Role Models, Significance, Sports, Success, Teenagers, Teens, Young Teens, Youth Sports

Prepare for Happiness

Lately, I have been pondering the question, “What are some things that I can do to put myself in a … More

Balance, Growing Up, Happiness, Health, Physical exercise, Role Models, Stress

Living in Crisis

  Our family is in crisis. It’s not the first time, and it won’t be the last. Three weeks ago, … More

Balance, Encouraging, Faith, Family, Family Life, Growing Up, Health, Pain, Relationship, Resiliency, spinal fusion surgery, Surgery

Storm Preparation

A Creeping Crisis Some crises develop gradually. Some are excruciatingly slow. Perhaps it is the approaching death of a parent … More

Anchor, Balance, Christianity, Community, Courage, Edward Mote, Encouraging, Family, Family Life, Friends, Growing Up, Independence, Jack Aubrey, Parenting, Relationship, Resiliency, Sacrifices, Significance, Strength, Success

Preparing for the Storm

If you have ever sat with a weather radio in a dark basement or closet during a tornado warning, or … More

Faith, Family, Family Life, Grit, Growing Up, Love, Maturing, Perseverence, Sacrifices, Significance, Strength, Trials

What Does it Mean to Grow Up?

This is the time of year when I start to see some signs of maturity in my 7th grade students. … More

Adolescence, Growing Up, Maturing

A Scholastic Tuneup

Many teachers will tell you that it’s the middle of the school year when most learning takes place. So, let’s … More

Digital Nation, Distraction, Education, Educators, Facebook, Homework, K through 12, Reading, social media, Studying

Growing Up Too Fast

Our culture tends to throw kids in the deep-end of the pool without teaching them how to swim. Kids are … More

Adolescence, Maturing, Media, Media consumption, Parenting, Preteens, Teens

I Wish You Failure

Once again, I offer an article from NPR’s This I Believe.  Jon Carroll started at the San Francisco Chronicle editing … More

Adolescence, Balance, Education, Growing Up, Hard Work, Perfectionism, Resiliency, Success, Work

The Power of No (Part 3)

Young teenagers often “cross the line.” It’s inevitable, so it should not surprise us. Yet, we should not just acquiesce … More

Adolescence, Community, Consequences, Growing Up, Kids, Maturing, Parenting, Relationship, School, Teacher, Teens

The Power of No (Part 2)

Sometimes a bad example is as motivating as a good one. I had just such an experience last Saturday: Guitar … More

Adolescence, Consequences, Growing Up, Immaturity, Kids, Maturing, Teens

How to Negotiate with Children

In a recent panel discussion about parenting on National Public Radio, “When No Means No” (11 minutes of audio), some … More

Adolescence, Communication, Consequences, discipline, Expectations, Growing Up, Kids, Modern Teenager, negotiating, Parental power, Parenting, Relationship

Failure’s Top Ten List

1.  Not Everybody Gets A Trophy Somewhere along the line we became a society that preached instant gratification. Like a … More

Adolescence, Balance, Christianity, Coaching, Communication, Education, Failure, Growing Up, Hard Work, Independence, Kids, Maturing, Parenting, Perseverence, Significance, Sports, Teens, Work, Youth Sports

Prepare Them for Life

Protection and provision are not enough. “Here’s the paradox: If we protect our children too absolutely, we actually end up … More

Adolescence, Consequences, Education, Encouraging, Growing Up, Maturing, Parenting, Relationship, Resiliency, Role Models, Serving, Significance, Work

Lousy Starts and Strong Finishes

I’m grading papers on the second to last day of the school year.  I’m grading fast, trying to finish ASAP, … More

Adolescence, Growing Up, Hard Work, Maturing, Parenting, Perseverence, Relationship, Resiliency

Posts navigation

Older posts

Categories

Popular Posts

  • Career Guidance for Young Teens

Copyright 2009-2020

Start a Blog at WordPress.com.
Privacy & Cookies: This site uses cookies. By continuing to use this website, you agree to their use.
To find out more, including how to control cookies, see here: Cookie Policy
  • Follow Following
    • Growing Up Well
    • Join 100 other followers
    • Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
    • Growing Up Well
    • Customize
    • Follow Following
    • Sign up
    • Log in
    • Report this content
    • View site in Reader
    • Manage subscriptions
    • Collapse this bar
 

Loading Comments...