Sue Scheff: How to Raise a Successful Teen

Many parents with teens today may be scratching their head with today’s generation of teens and their techology, choice of friends, attitude, entitlement issues and more. One of my favorite Blogs – FINK – (Family Interaction Nurtures Kids) offers some great advice on how to raise your teen in a positive direction. I know today it is not the easiest task, but FINK always seems to give us tips we can relate to! Visit www.finkblog.com for more great articles!
Source: FINK Blog

Here are some tips for you on things you need to be ensuring that your teenager learns along the journey of life.

The six life lessons that your teen is not been taught at school.

Life lesson One – Know yourself – Good grades are only one part of the equation.
Successful teens know that grades are only one part of the equation. Getting good graded cannot ensure that you have a successful and happy future. It takes more than that, it takes an understand of who you are as a person, your qualities, abilities and strengths. They are aware of their weakness and choose to use them for and not against themselves. They know what they value and how they want to live their lives and above all they are true to themselves.

Life Lesson Two – I love me.

Successful teens learn to accept themselves and they know that despite what is said to them that they do have the power within to do and be anything they choose. They know the power of self-belief and understand that failure is success waiting to be born bigger; they thrive on failures, learn from them and move on. They learn to accept the things about themselves they cannot change and they listen carefully to criticism from others, taking away only what is true for them. They can distinguish between someone’s opinion of them and how they feel about themselves, they are not affected by the thoughts of others.

Life lesson Three – Manage yourself- the only person I can control is myself.

Successful teens know that the only person that they can control is themselves. They are well aware that you cannot get anyone else to do anything and they have given up trying to change others, knowing that the only person they can change is themselves. They are aware of their feelings and the part they play in their lives and their relationships. They can distinguish between facts and feelings and can creatively solve problems.

Life Lesson Four – Take responsibility – What I give out is what I get back.

Successful teens know that responsibility is important. They understand with every right they have as young people they have a responsibility too. They are acutely aware of how their actions can affect others and strive to be role models for the behaviour they want to see towards them. They understand the value of support and never attempt anything alone. They treat others how they want to be treated.

Life Lesson Five – Plan for the Future – Failing to plan is planning to fail.
Every successful teen has a plan; they know where they want to go and how they are going to get there. They realise that success does not happen by chance. They realise that they have a purpose in life and their future will be in line with this; they are aware of the contribution they will make to society. They are relentless in the pursuit of their future.

Life Lesson Six – Become financially confident – Getting a job is only one way to make money.
The financially intelligent teen knows that money does not grow on trees and that to be rich is a planned adventure. They know the difference between spending, saving and investing and they seek first to invest before spending. They know that having a wonderful career and having a life full of “things” is not a recipe to be rich. They value the entrepreneurism that they have and strive to run their own business alongside what they do. They do not buy in to the “Study hard, get good grades get a good job and all will be well” mentality. They strive to learn as much about money as they do about anything else. They are not afraid of money. They do not shy away from it, they embrace it