Sometimes, teens just stink. As parents, we wonder if they even notice their personal hygiene problems. But truth be told, when we were that age, we were probably taught personal hygiene; it didn’t come naturally. And other times, the stink may not be the obvious giveaway that you need to discuss hygiene with a teen. Germs and bacteria can secretly cause sickness or infections right under our noses (sometimes literally – like in our mouths!).

The subject can be awkward. So, in this article, we will discuss how to teach teens about personal hygiene lessons.

When teaching teens about personal hygiene, make the conversation as normal and frank as possible

Bad personal hygiene is embarrassing. And sometimes, the teen may not even realize they need help in this area. Other times, they may not know what to do, or are too embarrassed to ask.

When teens hit puberty, their body is going through multiple changes. New sweat glands start operating. Not to mention, girls get their periods, and boys experience wet dreams. Both can be susceptible to yeast infections, acne, cold sores, cavities and so on. Who really wants to talk about this? Wouldn’t you feel ‘dirty’ if you had no idea how these things started happening to your body? And if kids at school are making fun of them, they can be even more embarrassed by them.

But when an adult makes them feel comfortable, and lets them know that this is normal, the teen may better get the impression that it’s ok to ask questions. Being frank when teaching teens about personal hygiene can help remove the awkwardness. Sometimes, having the same-sex adult tell a teen about personal hygiene practices can help too.

If you act like this is so secretive and ‘yucky’, or give them the “phewww! You stink!” glance, you might induce insecurity, which will prevent them from wanting to talk about it at all. And you need them to be open to talking about it, if you’ll get through to them.

If they act like they don’t care, teach teens the consequences of bad hygiene

Following up with being frank, a parent or adult role model needs to also tell teens why personal hygiene is important.

When they were little, they may have been taught to wash their hands after going to the bathroom, or before eating a meal. They also learned to cough with their mouth covered, and to brush their teeth before bed. These practices would prevent them from getting sick. Or maybe they did it just because mom and dad told them to.

But when they are teens, they may need more reason than “it’s a rule” to keep themselves clean.

It wouldn’t hurt to explain how bacteria grows on the skin to cause stink and infections, or that cross-contamination is a ‘thing.’ And, it’s in a teen’s best interest to follow self-cleaning routines; it can control acne, avoid itchy rashes, keep their adult teeth longer, reduce bad breath and make them smell nicer in front of friends – even those they are attracted to! (if they’re at that stage).

According to an article by WebMD, additional tips on this matter include:

• Letting them know what is true and not true about commonly held beliefs on hygiene (for instance, oily french fries are not the cause of acne).
• Making it a ‘chore’ if the teen is unmotivated to stay clean for their own interests. The article linked to earlier in this article also suggests writing down a hygiene schedule for special needs kids, who may need the extra help remembering.
• Discussing puberty at the right time, so kids know what’s coming, and don’t believe the weird things kids at school may be telling them.
• Asking a doctor to help out with the education needed, if necessary.

To teach teens about personal hygiene, you have to be a good role model

Also noted in the WebMD article, it’s important to be a good role model when teaching teens about personal hygiene. Don’t think kids aren’t watching – any parent can tell you they’ve been surprised by this. If you’re falling asleep on the couch and not brushing your teeth before bed, they can use that as an excuse to think it’s ok for them to do it too. And you don’t want to be paying for the dental bills as a result of those bad oral hygiene practices.

The same goes for showering, grooming, using deodorant (or antiperspirant) and so on. And, openly telling your son or daughter that you’re visiting the doctor for routine visits related to health may also set the example for them that they should be doing this too. If they see you sharing a water bottle or chapstick with someone, they may start doing it with friends, without regard to the fact that they can catch colds that way. So make sure they know when it’s ok, or not ok to do that.

You can make it fun for them too. For example, try hairstyles together, or shop for hygiene products together. Girls may like picking out the smells of some soaps. And boys may like making their cleaned hair look like a celebrity’s. Maybe not the best examples, but you get the idea. And sure, teens may not enjoy their parents being that intimate with them. So give them space if they need it.

As teens become more independent, their soon-to-be adult lives will need to be full of lessons on personal hygiene – just as much as they need to know about other life skills.

 

When we think of ‘Montessori’ we often think of preschool programs. However, unless your child falls into a school district offering Montessori alternative programs, or is enrolled in a private school, you may not be aware that Montessori educational theory can be applied to elementary and high school grades too.

So how is the Montessori adolescent program different? We’ll explain a few key characteristics in this article.

Montessori adolescent programs follow the designs of its early childhood learning, but with more advanced subjects

If your child attended a Montessori early childhood program, you may remember that the classroom set up was a bit different than a traditional school. Nowadays, it’s commonplace to have free-roaming daycares and a few age groups in a single room. But when you get to the elementary or high school levels of Montessori, this begins to stand out.

Contrary to the idea that students should sit in rows, do what the teacher says, and work independently, the Montessori adolescent program is different in the following ways, compared to other traditional school programs:

• Multiple age groups are in put in a single classroom. This allows for older role models to help the younger ones. It also allows for social environments that may mimic ‘real life.’
• Students are given a lot of freedom in choosing what they want to learn, within limits. The trained Montessori teacher can set out certain parameters for the kids to work within. But the student is responsible for directing their own learning – that can be by picking their own novel to study, for instance. They can also work on solving a math problem for as long as they need. The idea is to keep kids responsible for their own progress. It is also believed to translate into more motivation, and being able to reason and come to conclusions on one’s own.
• Students are not graded. This is a big difference in Montessori adolescent programs vs. traditional schools. Montessori teachers do evaluate kids and are meant to keep them on track, and to individually develop their interests. However, feedback is meant to avoid discouragement, because different children will have skills in different areas. In higher grades, to meet Ministry of Education standards, students are given tests.
• Students work in groups. The social aspect of Montessori teaching is instilled in students so that they learn to get along and work with others. Yes, sometimes they have to work independently, but groups are also encouraged, and sometimes necessary. It is also noticeable that a Montessori classroom may not have desks.
• Subjects are taught in segments. There is a typical 5-week rotation for learning. This provides less switching, more focus, and ample time to delve into a topic.
• Studies in subjects overlap. The idea is that one subject of study can bring about other subjects.

The Montessori adolescent program focuses on fostering independence

You’ll notice with Montessori methods in adolescent learning, such as with Montessori high schools, that the learning is meant to shape independence. The thought here is that kids need to develop life skills they will use in the ‘real world.’ They should not merely be given theory to study. Instead, a “holistic” approach is taken. It is important, for instance, that they know how to manage their own money, and learn what it takes to survive on their own. They should also have work skills.

You can see this in the encouragement of internships, the group assignments, and in the way self-directed learning means knowing how to budget your time effectively. Remember, Montessori high school students must still meet the BC Curriculum requirements. So while they can pick their topics and develop interests in a certain area, they must still complete the rest of the subject. They can do this by making a plan to complete their work, in conjunction with the teacher’s input.

This article from the Times Columnist describes Canada’s first Montessori graduating high school class, and demonstrates the above principles.

Montessori adolescent programs are considered helpful for gifted or special needs students

As some articles online, and linked to in this article will point out, the individualized approach of Montessori educational theory can be helpful for students who need a program that is non-standardized. By being able to work ahead of others, and pick challenging topics, a gifted student can excel in this type of environment. On the other hand, needing to go slower, or to have more time to absorb material can also help someone with a learning difficulty.

Is Montessori right for your child beyond preschool?

To conclude, we can see benefits of the Montessori approach. However, whether or not your child attends a Montessori alternative program in a Canadian school district or private school is something you’ll need to decide for yourself. You may notice that public school programs can incorporate some of the elements of the Montessori educational method, without being regarded as a full-fledged Montessori program.

Also remember that the term ‘Montessori’ can mean many things in different contexts. So not all Montessori schools will be alike. You’ll need to do research into each of their programs to find the right fit, if it interests you. Some associations provide more credibility to some than others, which you can also look into.

Learning how to help teens concentrate is crucial for academic success, which is why this article is a follow up on one we wrote earlier about 5 Ways to Improve Learning and Concentration in Kids’ Brains. This time though, we’ll focus on helping teens concentrate longer. The considerations can be slightly different when the kids get older and have to be more independent, managing their own time.

Concentration and increased attention span is correlated with better problem solving skills. As we know, problem solving is the foundation of most learning tasks kids encounter at school. And not only that, as kids get older, the tasks they need to perform become longer, and more ‘brain-consuming.’ How do we help teens concentrate longer, so they can get through a novel, complete a paper, and spend lots of time struggling on math problems? We’ll give some tips in this article.

Start Early and Make Concentration a Part of Normal Life

Building Concentration Skills from Childhood

Games like memory or ‘eye-spy’ as a child are great exercises for teaching kids to pay attention. These are the types of activities to do when kids are young. As they get older, kids become teens who need to learn to focus longer and longer. While this may be harder for kids with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), it is a struggle all young children face, and need to work on. In a way, we can think of attention span and concentration as a life skill to be developed.

See related:

• Brain food for kids: Help your child with ADD, ADHD or Autism to focus.
• Tutoring ADHD children

This article by Parents.com dives into many aspects of helping a young child maintain their attention span.

One important thing brought about is the idea of using a child’s interest to help them learn to concentrate. This can be passed on to the methods used in helping teens learn to concentrate. An English teacher, for example, can assign music lyrics to a struggling student who needs to learn poetry, instead of traditional poetic books taught in schools.

See related:

• Spending one-on-one time with your child to figure out how they learn
• Learning how your child learns: making the assessment

Preparing Teens for Real-World Focus Challenges

However, while we want teens to pursue their interests, at this age in their life, they will need to learn to become more well-rounded individuals. Sometimes that means taking the time to learn and do tasks that are not always enjoyable. As teens enter university, and then working life in their career as adults, they will face the need to fulfill mundane responsibilities with concentration and attention often.

So this is where we can use other types of tasks as kids grow, to get them used to paying attention for longer. For example, we wrote an article on personal growth lessons kids can learn while kayaking. One of these, is mindfulness, which is shown to increase concentration overall. This article states that even playing board games can help with improving attention, among other skills. And, we wrote an article on 7 brain games for kids, which you can check out here.

And, we can learn a lot about focus from those who have to work at it daily. Articles on maintaining ADHD can also give some tips to help teens concentrate longer. We wrote one here:

4 ways to help students with ADD (Attention Deficit Disorder)

Get Good Physical Activity to Help Improve Concentration in Teens

We brought this out in our earlier article (linked to above), on helping to improve learning and concentration in younger kids. It doesn’t change as we age!

Physical activity is important for many benefits. However, a study shows it is also related to improved concentration and school performance. This is an important need in our schools today, though it can often, incorrectly, seem secondary to academic performance.

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) published a guide on the requirements of activity for children, which can be different at varying ages:

How much physical activity do children need?

Plus, sports in themselves can teach kids lessons related to staying focused. For example, we wrote about the benefits of kids learning to skateboard, which can teach endurance and perseverance.

See our related article:

• Kid’s health: the importance of kids staying hydrated for academic performance and activity

Remember to Be Realistic When Teaching Teens How to Concentrate

Teens are learning how to get a handle on their life. Their workload at school has been gradually increasing. In high school, they are being prepped for university in a lot of ways, especially in grades 11 and 12. But aside from that, they still need to have fun and pursue their extracurricular activities. Many teens also start working part time in this period.

So how do they juggle it all? It can be hard if they haven’t learned how to make a schedule for themselves outside of school. Sometimes parents take on the role of ‘micro managing’ or ‘tiger parenting,’ ensuring teens keep up with their schedule and stay focused. And don’t get us wrong – scheduling and routines can play a part of improving attention span. And helping a teen learn to get organized is also important in teaching them how to concentrate longer.

However, it may be worthwhile taking a hands-off approach so that kids learn how to manage their time, and the amount of things they can concentrate on at a time. Eventually, they will have to teach themselves how to concentrate.

When they try to manage multiple goals – academic, extra-curricular, work, fun – teens may learn that they can’t ‘do it all,’ no matter how much they want to. You must remember: there is actually a lot going on in teens’ brains, so we have to be patient.

See our related articles:

• Parenting styles and outcomes: Does “tiger” parenting work?
• How internships, work and volunteer experience can balance a student’s education
• 5 study skills for high school students
• Teach your kids organizational skills

Helping Teens Concentrate for Longer Periods Is a Matter of Lifestyle

Starting to teach kids brain-enhancing skills young, getting physical activity and not ‘overdoing it’ are ways we can help teens concentrate longer. So is the obvious removal of distractions. As you can see, these can all be considered lifestyle habits that have an impact on teens in other ways. We do encourage you to find your own concentration games, and ways of staying focused.

Need personalized support helping your teen develop better concentration and study habits? School is Easy offers expert tutoring and learning strategies tailored to your child’s unique needs. Contact us today to help your teen build the focus skills they need for academic success.

The subject of video games has from the beginning been a point of heated discussions. And, as usually happens with these kinds of topics, the answer on whether or not it is okay to let children play video games depends on many aspects. Let’s break down some of the most common misconceptions as well as benefits of children playing video games.

1. Children playing violent video games become more violent in real life: true or false?

Because there are so many individual variables involved, there isn’t one conclusive answer to this claim. Children respond differently to violence in video games depending on their environment and their personality traits. Thus, many factors can trigger aggressive behaviour.

The only way to know how video games affect your children is by observing them and setting a time limit for video games. But let’s not forget that the world of computer games abounds not only in violent games but also games focused on brain development. For example, Lumosity. Or princess dress-up games. Or farm games. Those are not violent, so the subject of whether video games are good or bad goes beyond the question of aggressive behaviour. Which leads to our next points.

2. Prolonged exposure to video games can be addictive, affecting child behaviour and physical health

It has been reported that children playing video games excessively may become addicted and exhibit pathological behavioural patterns. When your child is lethargic and seems unhappy when he or she isn’t playing a video game, be wary that it might be a sign of a developing addiction. Look out for other signs like increased reluctance to social situations or neglecting school and housework duties.

In times when computers abound in every household, it’s easier for children to spend their free time playing video games, especially when the weather outside seems uninviting. Kids spending a lot of time in front of a computer, can also become obese. That’s why it’s good to offer your child an alternative by turning on the music for a little dance around the house or to do plain ol’ wrestling or hide and seek.

3. Playing video games can improve a child’s development

Some studies found that playing video games can actually boost some areas of a child’s brain. For example, many games require a child to make quick decisions, which in turn, improves working memory and increases brain connectivity.

If a child has other brain-developing stimuli ensured such as various outdoor activities, book reading, etc., allowing your child a few hours of video games a week won’t do anyone any harm. In fact, with a plethora of educational video games available out there, just like specialized games used for researching ‘brain training,’ video games can be treated as another tool in helping a child’s brain develop cognitive skills. Although more research is needed in this field, as always.

Observe and control your child’s daily exposure to video games, and don’t be afraid to join in sometime. Playing video games together with your children can be a real fun!