Ken Rabow

It arrives. The phone call you've been dreading. It's your child's (pick a subject) teacher, or the vice-principal and they're calling to tell you that your child sucks and that you are a bad parent. It's all your fault, not theirs, and what are...

I have been writing a book called The Slackers Guide to Success, based on my work with struggling teens and young adults. What's most interesting about this is that if you asked any of my clients when they first started working with me...

For the students:
So, you've been hoping and buying into "the dream" that somehow, by keeping your science book under your pillow, it will all seep in. Or maybe, they will have some information on the Peloponnesian wars on the Family Guy...

You can tell where you are in your life by how you celebrate Mother's Day. If you are making a card in crayon, you're at the start of your Mother's Days. If you are borrowing the keys to the car, you're in the teen...

So here you are, taking another stab at "making it" in life. Your parents are cautiously optimistic. You are non-committal. Your dog still thinks your amazing (but he likes Yanni). It should go well. You're older. You've had a few "challenges" under you belt, and you've survived. You're not on...

So, you've asked your teen for the 400th time to do whatever.

(It's not like he/she's actually heard what you said -- your voice blends in with...

With exam time coming up once again , you may be raring to go. But seriously, you may feel like someone just kicked you out of a plane...

So, you know you're brilliant. Your parents know you're brilliant. Your dog thinks you're amazing, then why are so many things not working out in your life?

If the best way to kill off someone talented is give them everything they want, then why are we doing this every day, in every way with our kids? Think about the over-givers, over-praisers and over-reachers.

Over-givers: A child given every game, electronic gadget, article of "cool" clothing and every...

So what's wrong with giving kids their space?
Meet the Parents: The Petersons, The Smyths and the Janssens:

All three families believe in giving their...

There are teens and young adults out there who have dropped out of school, got lost in addictions and hung around similarly challenged people their own age. If you have followed the 12 Steps to Success in my articles, you are now ready to...

So many people live with a subtle, toxic level of angst, turning each aspect of their daily lives into drab shades of grey. It becomes their way of...

Okay. Lock the door. Pull down the shades (do you have shades?) and cozy up to a truth every teen knows: Parents never really listen! You know that,...

From Romeo and Juliet to Pyramus and Thisbe and beyond, teens having been teeing off parents in their romantic choices for thousands of year. If this has been...

It often seems that being a teen is about hearing all things you cannot do, should not do or would not do. This can feel entirely frustrating, but what if you could do anything you wanted to with your life? What would you...

Have you ever heard someone say this? "Stop crying, it's nothing!" or "Don't worry, it isn't a big deal that you (fill in the blank)." Or "What...

Quick. Think of something you did today that stands out to you.
Was it something funny? Something you are particularly proud of, or something embarrassing? When...

Did'ja hear about the Petersons? Their son Skeeter was kicked out of school and caught smoking something illegal. Now he just stays up 'til all hours of...

Well, if they really are glued to the console, their sibling probably got crazy glue for the holidays. But, more than likely, they just disappeared into their...

The perfect New Year's resolution -- You found it! You made it! What could stop your desire to make it happen? What could challenge your resolve?

Now meet...