As 2014 winds down, we are feeling especially grateful for all the thoughtful dialogue, growth, and dedicated viewership Parenthetical has experienced over the last year.
During the last year, Parenthetical has increased site membership significantly and been privileged to hear from a wide range of guest contributors on a variety of topics. We also have had over 28,000 page views! That’s a lot!
We currently have more than 900 subscribed members (and growing!) who are receiving our newsletter weekly. If you aren’t subscribed and would like a weekly update on the new post of the week, you can SIGN UP HERE.
We have some news things in store for 2015 that we can’t wait to share with you! But before that, we wanted to take a minute to reflect on the last year and highlight the most popular posts from the past year. Below are the 10 most popular posts on Parenthetical from 2014 – check them out if you haven’t yet!
#10. Why Father’s Matter: What makes an involved father, and what are the long-lasting impacts of the relationship teens’ have with their fathers? READ POST HERE
#9. Table Talk with Teens: Family meals offer a great opportunity to connect with your teen. There are lots of ways to keep the conversation enjoyable and interesting. READ POST HERE
#8. 50 Shades of Grey: How would you respond if you discovered your daughter reading the controversial book “50 Shades of Grey”? See how each of Parenthetical’s facilitators responded in this post. READ POST HERE
#7. Parent’s Role in Body Image: As a parent you have an important role in shaping how your child understands and views body image. How can you help your teen think about their body in a healthy and realistic way? READ POST HERE
#6. Teens are Risk Junkies: It should be no surprise to hear that teens make questionable decisions. More often than we would hope. In fact, this is normal and there is a biological reason behind teens’ risky decision making. READ POST HERE
#5. When you don’t Approve of your Child’s Friends: Friends are an extremely important part of your child’s development. This post discusses the ways you can allow your child the space to explore their social identities while also maintaining the positive, influential role of ‘parent’ in their life. READ POST HERE
#4. Balancing Freedoms and Boundaries: As your child gets older their will seek (and need!) more independence. Finding the right balance based on your child’s unique abilities and needs takes practice and patience. READ POST HERE
#3. Breaking the Cycle: 8 Strategies for Dealing with Conflict with your Young Teen: Conflict is a normal part of development. Your child increasingly wants independence, and is most comfortable testing this desires with his or her parents. However, dealing with conflict is challenging. This post offers tips for navigating conflict with your teen. READ POST HERE
#2. Why Smart Kids do Dumb Things: The title says it all – ready for the answer? Why do smart kids make dumb choices? READ POST HERE
#1. The Absent Minded Teen: “Someone stole a part of my kid’s brain” : The brain grows as much during adolescence as it does in early childhood. What does this mean for parents with teens? READ POST HERE
Our gift to our readers in the New Year will be a fresh, updated look for the site and more opportunities for readers to interact with one another through Parenthetical Facebook Groups. So stay tuned as we plan to launch these changes in early February.
From everyone at Parenthetical, we wish you and your families all the best in the year to come.
– Anne, Becky, Dayana and Steve
Tell us: What topics would you like to see more of on Parenthetical in 2015?
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Article by Dayana Kupisk
Dayana is a graduate student in Human Development & Family Studies at the University of Wisconsin – Madison. Dayana previously worked as a life skills coordinator at a residential living program for teens and young adults. She has one older brother, and, for the first time in her life, is living in a different state from her parents.