4 secrets to understanding teenage girls every parent should know

By Emily Pidgeon July 5, 2022

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Former Digital Trends Contributor

Emily's work has appeared in the Tube City Almanac, Tube City Online and our Affinity Sites. When she's not writing, she is…

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7 signs of parentification: The behavior all parents need to avoid

Why parentification occurs and the warning signs

You may not be familiar with the term "parentification," but you're probably familiar with the concept. In typical families, it's the parents who are the caregivers for children of all ages, but in some families, the responsibility of caring for younger siblings may sometimes fall on the shoulders of older siblings. This is known as parentification, and here are some examples of behavior all parents need to avoid.

What is parentification?
Parentification is when a child, typically a teen, has to assume roles in the family that the parents would typically assume. "Parentification occurs when parents look to their children for emotional and/or practical support, rather than providing it," Newport Academy states, adding that, "Hence, the child becomes the caregiver." Not only do older children have to assume these responsibilities before they're even prepared to do so, but the parents often don't acknowledge this is happening.

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Healthy extracurricular activities kids and teens should explore

Turn off the screen and sign up your kids for healthier activities

It's all about Fortnite, Roblox, and YouTube when it comes to what kids do with their free time. But certain activities aren't the best for their minds and bodies, are they? We want our kids to have hobbies that challenge them and help them be smarter than we ever will be. That means getting them involved in healthier extracurricular activities than gaming or staring at a screen, and we can help with that.

Why kids need extracurricular activities
Can't kids just sit and play video games all evening? Tetris is known to improve memory and could help reduce anxiety, so it can't be all bad. While it would be fine to spend a little time gaming, kids need other adventures to stimulate different parts of their brains and get their bodies moving. Kids and teens need to find out what they like, so they have healthy hobbies as adults.
There's no right age to start
Whether your child is 7 or 17, they could sign up for an activity. There are classes for newborns, toddlers, and grade-school age, and we know there are endless activities for high schoolers. Whenever your child shows an interest in something, that's the right time to get them involved.
Kids don't need to do all the things
But it doesn't mean your child should be in nonstop activities all year, every year. You like vacations and time off, and so will your children. Like you get burned out from time to time, a child put into too many activities will, as well. Have open communication with your kids on how they like what they are in, if they want to do more, and if they want to do less.

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6 essential first-time pregnancy tips every new mom should know

Take the fear out of pregnancy by following these 6 essential tips

In addition to being exciting and amazing, being a first-time mom can sometimes feel overwhelming and scary – as taboo as some may think that is. Although many think that pregnancy and how to handle it will come naturally for most, that couldn't be further from the truth. Despite all the uncertainties, carrying your first child, getting to experience all those “first” moments, and discovering and nurturing the growing bond between you and your unborn baby is something no other person could understand unless you have lived it.

Taking a test and confirming pregnancy is merely the first step into parenthood, and doing it for the very first time is understandably nerve-wracking. To help ease the worry and overthinking, we’ve built a “new mom survival guide” of practical and realistic first-time pregnancy tips to help get new moms through their worry and fear of carrying their little ones.