Myths about teen attitude

And how to handle it |

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SUBSCRIBE to TIME Magazine Dear people who are possibly buying/wrapping/stressing over gifts for the charges in their care, Hello and happy holidays, We do Christmas in my home and we have reached the stage where the presents the kids gave us totally owned the presents we gave them. I guess this is a good sign; they have understood what we need and like and we have provided sufficient goods and services that we can't think of much they need or want that they don't have. I have spent the last two weeks playing at being a parent who does not work outside the home. I salute all of you who do this full time. It's exhausting. And it's amazing how much you let slide when you're working. I have filed papers from as far back as 2014, for example. And then of course, the family notices a shift in the time-space continuum, and suddenly there are all these things you are doing that other people usually do. Hmmm. People were kind enough to send me their holiday traditions. On of my favorites was the mom who was so attached to her own mother's Christmas breakfast of Cinnabuns-and-an-egg-bake that the year she had surgery she liquefied the buns so she could still participate. I'm at belinda.luscombe@time.com or @luscombeland on Twitter. Feel free to follow me, but not necessarily my parenting philosophy. P.S. If you like this newsletter, please pass it on to a friend. And if you got it from a friend, sign up here for email delivery each Friday. You know, more or less. roundup While we're on the subject of Christmas, this story about a disaster in Canada 100 years ago, is amazing, worth recalling, and maybe even sharing with our kids, as we try to get our celebrations together. TIME And while we're doing history, here's a great vintage parenting post from a mother of four and successful journalist, that's also worth remembering, particularly at this busy time of year. New York Times If you have teenagers, you are probably also familiar with humans with a surplus of attitude. Adolescence is a particularly frustrating stage for parents, because they are trying to care for people who are determined to become independent, but equally determined to have a dim view toward the taking of advice.  We consulted one of the leading parenting experts for his tips on how to deal with teenagers. He went deep. TIME This small but interesting study from the University of British Columbia suggests that holding young babies has an effect on their epigenome, the system that tells your genes what to do. Upshot: hold your babies. I know, not exactly counterintuitive, but handy to know it's worthwhile, especially on those late nights when you just want to sleep.  UBC We work hard to get our kids to be polite. The author of this sweet essay had some real victories around the kitchen table with her children, who started saying "It's not my favorite," instead of "blech." Then she went on vacation and found things less than perfect.  Real Simple Check out this fascinating beautiful series of photographs from a young Australian Aborigine couple who wanted to explore their culture's traditions before the arrival of their first child. NITV PFFT: Parenting from Famous Types John Stamos, actor and soon to be first-time father "I'll be a fun dad. I've been practicing for a long time"I've done every schtick you can do with a baby on TV … all the bits and jokes and diaper gags. I'll probably just do all that stuff." To Unsubscribe You have received this e-mail because you are subscribed to this newsletter from TIME.com. Unsubscribe here. Update Email Click here to update your email address. Privacy Policy Please read our Privacy Policy, or copy and paste this link into your browser: http://timeinc.net/subs/privacy/td/policy.html TIME may receive compensation for some links to products and services on this website. Offers may be subject to change without notice. For Further Communication Please contact parents@time.com TIME Customer Service 3000 University Center Drive Tampa, FL 33612-6408 Connect with TIME Find TIME on Facebook Follow TIME on Twitter Subscribe to more TIME Newsletters Get TIME on your Mobile Device Get TIME on your iPad Subscribe to RSS Feed