&articletitle2=.:Helping Your Teen Make the Turn& &articlecontent2=by Tom and Kathy Toney We have all heard of Centrifugal Force. It is the force that causes our coffee cup to fall over as we go around corners in our cars. Centrifugal force centers around rotation, as this is where it gains its power. Basically, when we are driving in a straight line, all of our mass and force is moving in that direction. But when we turn the wheel, we are trying to change the direction of that force. However, those forces don't really like that idea all that much, and they want to keep going straight. That's the pull we feel as we go around the corner. Its the force the coffee cup feels, and since it can't resist that force, it gives in and falls over. Now imagine a kids life. As children, they are tooling along, enjoying life, just being a kid. Then, out of nowhere, life throws them into a sharp turn - adolescence. The junior high, adolescent years are a pivotal time for our kids, and the forces of our world are at work to pull them off the road as they enter this turn. How we as parents position our kids to make this turn makes all the difference. If you wait too long to turn the wheel, your car is going to go off the road. Turn too early and you may well steer off the road before you get to the turn. While we never really think about driving in this way as we go into most turns, probably all of us have experienced those turns that sneak up on us. We find ourselves fighting the forces, the wheels screeching, our hands wrapped tightly around the steering wheel, and praying for help! If we fail to anticipate the coming changes in our kids, we may well find ourselves in a similar situation with them as they go through the turn. So how can we keep our kids on the road and help them make the turn into the next season of life? Here are 3 ideas that may help you in this process: 1. Look ahead. Taking our eyes off the road is usually what sets us up to be surprised by a sharp turn. When we keep our eyes on the road, we are better prepared to handle whatever is ahead. Looking ahead in your child's life means considering where your current choices for them will take them. The things your kids do for fun today will become an obligation if they are allowed to continue pursuing those interests. For example, if your child loves going to gymnastics once a week as a 7-year-old, the possibility exists that they may want to continue in gymnastics year after year. But as the years progress, so will the investment of time and money. It can even become an interest that dominates an entire family. Most families I talk to who travel 5 days-a-week to take Johnny to baseball games admit that they didn't really understand how involved it would get until it was too late. Remember our corner in the road? Thinking through your child's opportunities and the commitment it may mean is a wise practice that will set you, your child and your family up for success. 2. Slow down. Many curves on roads have signs that tell you how fast you should go to safely navigate the turn. Funny thing is, most of us go much faster than recommended. But we all know, go too fast and we'll end up off the road. Unfortunately, there are no such signs in life. We have to navigate life with wisdom, and from the wise counsel of those who are already down the road. A practical approach would be to just simply slow down in life as your kids approach this age. Maybe you are already in the turn, just keep in mind that it is never too late to hit the breaks. I have never heard a parent say in retrospect, "I spent too much time with my kids." Taking more time with your kids as they approach the turn will help you navigate the turn with more grace, and will likely keep the coffee cup upright. Simply put, slowing down means finding more time to spend together. And contrary to popular belief, it is possible. The alternative is to take a chance of flying off the road. So slow down and make the turn. 3. Steer. As a parent, you can never be far from the steering wheel. I remember growing up that my dad would occasionally let me "drive" his truck on old back roads. He would sit me on his lap and let me steer the car down the road. I can still see his hands as they would just reach out and touch the wheel ever so often. He would try to do it so I couldn't see, just touching the bottom of the steering wheel to keep us down the middle, but I knew he was doing it. I would work the wheel dramatically back and forth, but his steady hand kept us on the road. As parents, we can never stop steering. Even when our hands are off the wheel, and our kids are in "control" of their own lives, we have to always be just a reach away. Touching the steering wheel in the lives of our kids, even if it's occasionally, is just good parenting, and it will help your child navigate the turn. I remember when my dad and I would go around a corner, I would be turning hand over hand as hard and fast as I could. But it was in those moments that my dads hands never left the steering wheel. I may have felt like I was driving, but it was he who was keeping us on track. As your kids clamor for more and more freedom, let me encourage you, don't forget to steer! It's just good parenting. Hopefully, these three ideas will help you in some way to help your teen make the turn. & &articletitle1=.:CURRENT says it all& &articlecontent1=CURRENT really says it all... CURRENT is how POWER is delivered from it's source to it's destination. Some CURRENTS are stronger than others, some carry more POWER, but touch any electrical current, and you know you've been in touch with POWER. CURRENT is the state of being up-to-date, relevant, in-the-know. It is being aware of what is happening today and how those happenings effect our lives. CURRENT is flow. It is the undertoe of our world, the underlying power that drives our fashion, culture, society and world. Like the powerful current in a river, you can be swept away with the current. That's why we say CURRENT is Powerful Knowledge Now! Being CURRENT means you are equipped to make the best decisions for your family with regard to the latest trends, technologies, methods, conveniences and challenges. So Catch the Current, and help us build strong families.& &articletitle3=.:& &articlecontent3=& &articletitle4=.:& &articlecontent4=& ¤tnametitle=& ¤tname= &