If we could look for problems people face all the time, and try to dramatically solve it, we are going to make an impact. Teenager parents are not alone in the challenge of the terrible eating and sleeping patterns of their children and their close-to-depression stressful state. Is this something that technology or app. can improve dramatically? Can there be games that can only go to the next level when the teens are sleeping soundly and eating well?
In
this “Wellness Panel for Parents (of the teens)” with high school principal, assistant principal, a doctor and a psychologist on the panel, they share their thoughts on the many challenges facing parents and their teens. Many teenagers sleep far less than the recommended 8 to 9 hours. The pattern starts with a lack of enthusiasm in school (subjects), the stress to have to do well in grades, the mountains of homework and reading, puberty effect and the transition towards adulthood. These difficulties breed avoidance – when the school hours are over, the teens d
ecompress through games, internet, napping or other things but school work. As they start on homework in the late night, they finish by early morning, and in 5 hours or so, they are on the way to school again, totally sleep deprived and often without a decent breakfast. In the intertwining relationship between physical and mental state, an unhealthy youth is more prone to an unstable mental state; and vice versa. Aren’t parents helpless in getting our loved ones out of the blues and maybe at times, be part of giving them stress?
The panelists give some good insights, some could help; others are harder to execute.
A few can-do:
- High school officials are considering a later start of high school hours, to go with the research behind a gradual shifting of the body clock during the adolescence to sleep later.
- Ask them questions such as “what is the definition of success?” Be the best ever possible in listening.
- Talk to the teens when they are in the car.
- Trust your guts when you see signs that their depressed mental state requires extra support. (Some level of stress and sadness is normal.)
- Let them see how we connect to the world, to others and to ourselves; and how we reach out to others for help.
- Be clear on non-negotiable matter. It is ok to set limits, kids like limits. Be clear that they can call parents for help. Every choice has a consequence but help them not to turn bad choice into life-changing situations.
- Hug them
Other good but hard-to-execute insights:
- Reduce electronics simulation and shutdown devices one to two hours before bed time. Technology and the gadgets are becoming essential to this generation; it is a difficult scene to force shutdown of devices or internet by certain time at night. Not to mention teens can outsmart parents, and the genuine need of technology to finish hom
ework. - Kids look down so much these days. In the past, they look at their shoes when they are not confident, now they look at their devices no matter what. Encourage them to look around. Easy said than done.
- Having the time to connect with kids. It is not so much our time; it is more to get their time and attention. Isn’t this a reversal of who-wants-the-time-from-whom when they were 10 years younger?
And how about the aspirations to be the house where kids want to go? I know of smart friends, who turn a room into entertaining center; or another mom who would stay in their bedroom any time their kids take over the living room with their friends.
In the end, it is equally important to find outlets of our own stress, stay healthy and happy; and believe one day, they would know how to manage theirs; be healthy and happy.
years. Many people talk about peak at some years, and from then onwards, it is all downhill. There is that gradual loss of abilities, physical or mental or both; there is that reduction of learning; there is that reaching quota on things that used to grasp our interests. For those who remember the green monitor about thirty years ago, the computer aging process feels different. It becomes slower, left alone, and then is being replaced. Its deterioration is not as unpleasant as human aging amidst illness or suffering or the burden of loved ones.
would think about it in future is most likely different from how I think about it now. Someone in Switzerland said of facilities to trade all the money with the life-long service to take care of you. When the day comes, the physical body and the financial asset go together.
ntain; and more often to improve. Easier to say than declaring a pure lack of talent, I have never got close to that time commitment, and expectedly, my skills are very far from where I want it to be. Human could be strange species, sometimes, we just want to keep pounding on things that we are not very good at.
and fans around the world for all the tournaments. Peers support him to win the “Stefan Edberg Sportsmanship Award” for a record 10 years; Fans support him to win the “Fans’ favorite Award” for a record and consecutive 12 years; and many places he plays, he receives “home court advantage” through the support and cheering of the spectators. There are often so much things to learn from– how he plays, how he faces adversities, how he faces the press, how he manages losses and wins. All can give inspirations to other facets of lives, if we so choose.
e to solve.
nother human being. There is relationship with a country, with a company or with an organization. Whatever it is, it takes some courage to get out of a long-term one.
half dream comes true may turn out to be different from the imagination. There is something missing in reality, a different reason on different days. It is like a bird in a tree-hopping mode, before sensing the right place worth to settle down again. I receive a good advice to write a new description of a dream job, which I believe applies to all job seekers.
tuff that may not be readily available in the arriving cities; not any more, it is more that we need to bring money in case we miss something these days. Wait a minute, we don’t need to bring money or travelers’ checks neither, we bring “global” cards and the ATM machine would flush out the right currencies. Globalization and technology deserve credits for these conveniences. At the same time, technology occupies the luggage with more electronic devices and their accessories than ever before. It has not been long when bringing a laptop has been a practice more for the computer professionals on business trips. These days everyone is bringing some sorts of computer devices. For my household of 4, in our 2014 trip to Hong Kong, there are 1 Kindle Fire, 1 laptop/tablet, 1 laptop, 3 smart phones, 1 Nintendo, 1 iPad; a total of 8 devices, an average of 2 per person; and not to mention the 2 local phones that have been arranged. And these devices have their own “friends” as a big bag of adapters, power plugs, and bundles of cables in the luggage.
be of the size of water bottle and can be used as a defensive weapon when needed. Now it is more of a personal choice with size to fit in the pants’ pocket or with size more pleasing to the eye; the cell phone at times become more of an essential than the wallet used to be. On the subway, three quarters of folks, regardless of their ages, are busy on their phones – games, text, videos, movies and only once-in-a-while that they are talking on the phone. And in the subway, there is a frequent announcement to remind folks to not only pay attention to their cell phone while riding on an elevator. Is the phone (aka telephone) still being used the same as what the dictionary has defined it to be – an apparatus, system or process for transmission of sound or speech to a distant point, especially by an electronic device?
nguage helping them to meet new (girl) friends in China, or in their gratitude to the teachers and school. There are more interesting things to do on Friday evenings; the graduate students (and their family) are those coming to the school on Friday evening consistently for over 10 years. The video is produced by my daughter and it feels magical when the 3-minute clip gets the full attention of these hundreds of parents and students. Classes of all grades put up performance from singing songs, reciting poems, magic show, drama, or group aerobics. Preparing kindergarten or elementary grade students to perform requires lots of energy and crowd management skills as these cuties have different priorities and worlds of view from adults. Motivating the upper grade students is a more strenuous mental challenge for the teachers and students. The effort really shows in turning each of the performances into entertaining, unique and very special moments. The 2 hour+ ceremony concludes with parents joining the students in singing gratitude to their parents and cake cutting – how fitting with piety and food such a central theme for Chinese heritage.
be emptied. Sealed bottles are OK – I learn something useful. I bought a Barry Gibb T-shirt for $35 which is a standard price for today’s concerts. There are programs but I did not go for it. I think you can get them cheaper through Barry’s website directly.
eginning of summer holiday for many 8th graders. I did not have my own middle school graduation. I did not remember any speeches in the middle school graduation of my daughter; attending my son’s at the same school, three years later, bring some moments back.
students would shape our future. A few graduate students deliver their speeches; I like how one student says that his generation needs to solve the problems created by this and past generations; and how another student shares his learning from the movie of Star War. Their air of confidence impresses the most. Kids in United States are not seasoned with much hardship in their first many years, they have a rosy picture of what the future can offer them, and serve as reminders life is more worthwhile with passion, with contribution and with joy. Certificate presentation came after the speeches. Every audience waits for the few seconds of his/her loved one to walk up and down the stage. Most families put their hands together for each student. It is a lengthy session with some intermittent shouts from the audience for their own favorite friends and families. The principal concludes nicely with a short quote.
arning experience. I have experienced more of these interviews from promising start up or best companies to work in. The interviewers show trusts in the ability of candidates and often offer hints to put the candidates at the best.
oliviatamccue 