About Parenting Teens: Inclusion Instead of Tolerance?

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Parenting Teens Parenting Teens Teens Today High School Troubled Teens Help From Denise Witmer, your Guide to Parenting Teens Teach Inclusion Instead of Tolerance of Teen Homosexuality I have in the past written articles for parents of straight teens on how to raise a tolerant teen when it comes to the sexuality of others. But after reading an article on teen homosexuality this morning, I had an Ah-Ha! moment. I wondered if I should go one step further and promote inclusion, instead of tolerance. To me, tolerance implies that you have to be aware of and accept a characteristic of another person that is different than your own, while inclusion goes one step further and accepts the entire person as someone who is equal with you in your group. Then I realized that my oldest daughter has been modeling this behavior for me for years as she has a close friend who is a young gay man who isn't tolerated by their friends, but is an essential part of their peer group. Heh. I guess she beat me to this life lesson. Has your teen's peer group included gay (or otherwise different in sexual orientation) teens in friendship? Read what others have said and Let me know in the comments area. 5 Ways to Prevent Parental Burnout The best way to deal with parental burnout is to try and avoid it altogether. While it may seem hard at first, once you establish some healthy habits and parental limits, you will no longer have a problem with burnout - at least not all of the time! Try these 5 Ways to Prevent Parental Burnout. More: Quiz: Are You a Helicopter Parent? | Parents of Teens Need Me-Time Too Kathy's Korner: Why Family Therapy Works for Teens Family therapy has an impressive track record for helping parents understand and change the behaviors of a troubled teen. Teens who are acting out create stress within their families, but family members who pull together become part of the solution. More from Kathy: The Courage to Parent a Troubled Teen | Parenting Troubled Teens Articles Kathy's Korner is a blog posting on the new and useful Troubled Teens Resources from our Contributing Writer, Kathy Rudlin, LCSW. Look for it regularly and please feel free to leave Kathy a message in the comments area. Summer Activities for Teens - Week Two These summer activities for teens can be done individually, with friends or with the whole family. Each week has four different types of teen summer activities: Make This (Recipe), Craft This, Learn How and Get Out and Go! Each activity idea is fun for your teen. Check out week two's summer activities for teens now. See More About:  fun teen activities  summer fun  fun family activities Parenting of Adolescents Ads Defiant Teens Parenting Out of Control Teens Depressed Teens Bootcamp for Teens Featured Articles Teen Drug Use and Abuse Teen Health Teen Sex and Teen Sexuality - What Your Teen Needs to Know About Sex Family Fun and Teen Activities Parenting Questions and Answers for Parents of Teens Teen Crafts - Crafts, Projects and Ideas for Teens   More from About.com Backyard Chickens 101 Dabble in the self-sufficient, eco-friendly life with these essential chicken-raising tips. More> 24 Amazing Container Gardens These gorgeous and creative gardens prove it doesn't take a lot of space to create something special. More> This newsletter is written by: Denise Witmer Parenting Teens Guide Email Me | My Blog | My Forum   Sign up for more free newsletters on your favorite topics You are receiving this newsletter because you subscribed to the About Parenting Teens newsletter. If you wish to change your email address or unsubscribe, please click here. About respects your privacy: Our Privacy Policy Contact Information: 249 West 17th Street New York, NY, 10011 © 2011 About.com   Must Reads Talking to Teens About Tough Issues Quiz: Are You Raising a Healthy Teen? Teen Birthday Party Themes and Ideas 6 Tips for Parenting Troubled Teens How to Raise a Drug-Free Teen Advertisement