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    Websites can motivate teens to read more -

    There are many websites designed exclusively to encourage reading.   Here are a few to share with your teen:

    •Bookloons (www.bookloons.com) has a section just for teens with contests, book reviews ,excerpts from upcoming books, articles and interviews with authors.

    • TeenReads (www.teenreads.com) has contests, book clubs, podcasts and videos, book reviews, links to the newest books and the “Ultimate Teen Reading List”—a list of over 250 books that are sure to keep your teen interested.

    •TeensPoint (www.teenspoint.org) is a great site where teens can read reviews or post their own opinions for others to see.

    •Goodreads (www.goodreads.com) is a book lovers social networking site, similar to Facebook, where teens can see what their friends are reading, keep track of what they’ve read and get book.

     

    A positive attitude is vital to your teen’s success, happiness. 

    A positive attitude is the cornerstone of character. Many key elements of character, including kindness, empathy and leadership, are impossible to achieve if you only look at the dark side of life.

    To encourage positivity, help your teen:

    • Be hopeful. On most days, some things will go well and others won’t. Don’t dwell on what went wrong. Focus more on what went well. Make it your starting point for beginning the next day.

    • Move on. Your teen didn’t get picked for a certain team. The next chance to try out isn’t until next year and no changes will be made to this year’s roster. After some disappointment, encourage her to put it behind her for now. Look in a new direction.

    • Avoid comparing herself to others. There will always be someone who seems smarter, more popular or more fortunate.  Focusing on feelings of “not quite measuring up” can squash positivity.

     

    Does your teen understand the value of academic honesty? 

    Today,many teens think that cheating is normal. The results of several studies show that between 80 and 95 percent of teens admitted to cheating at least once in the past year. And 75 percent admitted to cheating four or more times in the past year.

    To discourage your teen from cheating:

    • Talk about it. Let him know that copying answers from a friend is cheating. So is plagiarizing—trying to pass off information from a book or the Internet as your own original effort.

    • Don’t do his work for him. This sends the message that turning in another’s work is okay. It also says that you don’t think he can do the work on his own.

    • Encourage your teen to be proud of himself when he accomplishes things on his own. This tells him he can do it—without cheating.

     

    Copyright© 2013, The Parent Institute® www.parent-institute.com It Matters: Building Character   Source:T. Walker, “What Can Be Done About Student Cheating? ” National EducationAssociation, http://neatoday.org/2012/12/11/what-can-be-done-aboutstudent-cheating/.