How fathers should deal with their teenage children

 

As Joseph Cianciotto always says, one of the best things that could ever happen in a man’s life is fatherhood. This blog focuses on fatherhood during the teenage years.

Image source: lifeofdad.com

You were once a teenager, and you already had a first-hand experience of the best years of your life. This means that you should understand that your child is going through the same thing. The teenage years are both memorable and tricky.

This is just natural because, during the teenage years, you expose yourself to the tension between extremes that you discover on your way to independence. It’s true that when you’re a teenager, you get your first crack at defining your identity as an individual.

That said, here’s some advice for you as a father to your teenage children.

Image source: raisingchildren.net.au

1. Be available to your children at all times. You never know when it’s exactly going to be, but your children will surely need your adult wisdom soon enough. Get ready to process some potentially tough questions that they might ask. Also, remember not to make them feel judged in your answers.

2. Relax on the rules a bit. This is one of the toughest challenges that parents may face as they deal with their teenage children. However, as a father, you should be the one to balance things out. Fatherhood is always a balancing act between controlling and letting loose on your child’s freedom.

3. Spend time connecting with your child. Once the teenage years hit, it’s only a couple of years more before they become all grown up. Don’t lose the chance to do memorable things, even if this is something as simple as hanging out. Don’t be too preachy on your advice, but make sure to keep the conversation going.

New York resident Joseph Cianciotto has a degree in Visual Communications from Carnegie Mellon University. Most recently, he has served as an executive creative director at Translation. For similar reads, visit this page.

A number of life lessons that hit you in fatherhood

 

As an individual in the business world, Joseph Cianciotto has proven himself to be successful. However, he wants to think of himself as an even better father, which he strives to become in every step of the way. Today, he shares some life lessons that have hit him as a father.

Image source: forbes.com

1. Your kids will remember how you spoke more than what you actually said.

Sometimes, being a disciplinarian can bring out the worst in a person, especially around young and unruly children. It’s easy to think that you’re the boss and you know what’s best for your child, and you’re even probably right most of the time, says Joseph Cianciotto. However, yelling at your children can intimidate them. Be careful not to break their spirits and leave them with a wound that they take with them for the rest of their lives. Anger, when not kept in check, can cause permanent damage on your kids.

Image source: carrollmagazine.com

2. Preparing your kids for the world is better than keeping them blinded from its ills.

Your first instinct is to protect your child from any dangers lurking around, whether this is a threat to life, a bad influence, or even foul language from other people. We all want the best for our children, agrees Joseph Cianciotto. However, rather than remove your children from the world with its evils, it’s better to equip them with the proper skills and attitudes that would allow them to successfully deal with anything that comes along the way. Training your children’s hearts is more important than trapping them in the house.

2. Give your kids a happier home by making their friends feel at home, too.

Teens tend to crave a sense of freedom when they are their age. They get to exercise this freedom by choosing to be in the company of the people they identify with as their peers. Sometimes, it’s hard not to see how costly it can be, because teenagers tend to snack on everything that’s in your kitchen, especially the boys. However, it would be great to welcome their friends into your home regularly. It’s better to have a full house than a full pantry.

Joseph Cianciottopage.

How parents balance their work and family lives in the time of COVID-19

 

Joseph Cianciotto mentions that these are trying times. For almost the entirety of 2020, families everywhere had to cope with the COVID-19 pandemic. The global health crisis has taken its toll on everyone on almost all fronts. Even Joseph Cianciotto has had to find ways on several occasions to balance his work and family time.

Image source: medicalxpress.com

Fortunately for Joseph Cianciotto and many other parents out there, several tried-and-tested methods are to be successful at work and happy at home. And what’s more is that these are methods that have been used way before the coronavirus hit, and they have proven to be effective.

Dinner should be a priority.

Joseph Cianciotto has always maintained that dinner is the most important meal for the family, which means parents always need to make it a point to get in touch with everyone. Parents who work from home are urged to take a break and have dinner with the family.

Image source: momjunction.com

Schedules should always be followed.

Like the previous point, schedules have to be kept, especially when it comes to time with the kids. Parents need to have a calendar with days and times marked in which they intend to spend with their children. If anything comes up at work that does not require urgent attention, parents should learn to say “No,” Joseph Cianciotto adds.

Joseph Cianciotto has a degree in Visual Communications from Carnegie Mellon University. He currently resides in Long Island, New York, with his family. For similar reads, visit this page.

Winter family bonding: Activities to do for the holidays

 

It’s the season for giving and pure family fun. And Joseph Cianciotto notes that even if the world is still very much in the grips of a global health crisis, there are still some things that families can do to brighten up their holidays. He lists three of these activities below. 

Image source: healthline.com

Image source: cedarfallstourism.org

Snow ball fights 

For families who live in areas where there is an ample amount of snowfall and have their own yard, as soon as there’s enough snow, parents should grab their kids and begin choosing sides for an all-out war. Joseph Cianciotto has also learned that parents can prepare for it by wrapping old furniture in plastic and laying them out. These things make for great snow forts.

Snow forts

If there is more snow than needed, parents should build snow forts with their kids instead of using furniture. Not only is this a fun activity, but it’s also an all-day event. Joseph Cianciotto, however, mentions that this may only be applicable for families with yards since parks and playgrounds may still be too unsafe to play in.

Holiday movie nights

There is a very long list of family Christmas movies that the entire family can enjoy. Joseph Cianciotto explains that a holiday movie night is a great and relaxing way to cap off a day filled with many activities.

Long Island, New York, resident Joseph Cianciotto is a devoted family man. Read more about fatherhood and family life by subscribing to this blog.

A few more modern films the entire family will surely enjoy

 

When it comes to family-friendly films, Joseph Cianciotto is a massive fan of modern classics from the ‘80s and ‘90s. He has time and again mentioned the eras to be the best in terms of movies families can enjoy together. However, he also admits that the 2000s have had its share of amazing films as well. 

Image source: movies.disney.com

 

Below are some of Joseph Cianciotto’s more recent favorites.

Finding Nemo: Disney’s collaboration with Pixar has produced some of the most memorable family films in the past two decades. “Finding Nemo” is a perfect example of this, especially seeing that the heart of the story rests a relationship between a father and son.

How to Train Your Dragon: Not to be outdone, Dreamworks has its own impressive lineup of CGI animated movies that are every bit as amusing as Disney’s. Joseph Cianciotto names the thrilling “How to Train Your Dragon” as his favorite among the bunch. 

Image source: imdb.com

The Incredibles: What could be a more apt film for a family movie night than a movie about a family of superheroes? Disney’s “The Incredibles” is another masterful and rip-roaring effort that has captured the hearts of millions of fans everywhere.

What’s your favorite family-friendly film in the past 20 years? Share them with Joseph Cianciotto in the comments below.

Joseph Cianciotto has a degree in Visual Communications from Carnegie Mellon University. He currently resides in Long Island, New York with his family. For similar reads, visit this page.

Helping children cope well during difficult times

We might think kids live carefree lives, but children live in a world with their own sets of worries and stresses. It’s also safe to assume that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected them mentally even if some or all of them had to stay off school for a while. Just because they’re young, it’s always not good to assume that they’re not carrying burdens of their own – sets of problems we might be imposing on them without us thinking. Here’s what you should do to help your children cope during tough times like these.

Image source: latimes.com

First and foremost, you need to tell your kids it’s okay to express their emotions and that feelings are natural. Allowing them to be open about their feelings empowers them to deal with them out in the open rather than bottling them up. Keeping feelings to themselves may harm their emotional and mental well-being. It’s best they share what they feel with you so you can deal with them together.

Once they have a bead on their emotions, you should talk about what they are so they can acknowledge them and properly deal with them. Nothing is quite hard than working with an unknown emotion.

Image source: unicef.org

After helping them identify their feelings, you should teach them ways to channel their emotions. You can teach them to draw or to paint so they have creative outlets. In case they like reading and writing, you should buy them a notebook so they can keep a journal. Emotions are energies we need to manage by letting them out in positive ways.

When things go tough, you should tell them to keep going through the process of opening up about their feelings, identifying them, and channeling them. Keep reminding them that although these things may not necessarily impact what’s happening, they can choose their reactions better and be able to find freedom to act even things aren’t going right. This will help them become resilient individuals growing up.

Joseph Cianciotto’s mix of creative guts and business acuity has landed him in high positions across several ad agencies in the United States. Learn more about Joseph Cianciottohere..

Planning ahead for some great fall activities

 

For many reasons, Joseph Cianciotto loves autumn. It’s definitely the most beautiful and picturesque season in terms of colors and the weather is just right – not too hot and not too cold, yet. It also is the perfect time for families to get together to enjoy activities with each other. 

Image source: womansday.com

For this blog, Joseph Cianciotto lists down a few more fall activities parents can enjoy with their kids.

Backyard camping
As mentioned earlier, weather in the fall is extremely pleasant. There may be times that it could a bit chilly. Before the temperature drops in the winter, families should take advantage of the fall weather. Camping at the backyard is always a great family activity. Kids and parents can even start their own little bonfire and roast their own smores. 

Image source: allrecipes.com

Halloween decorating
Joseph Cianciotto already mentioned Halloween itself as one of the best activities in the fall. He says that this includes all the preparations leading up to one of the most fun nights of the year. Decorating the yard is definitely a fall activity worth looking forward to.

Thanksgiving dinner
Before the winter rolls in, we have Thanksgiving. Joseph Cianciotto has never missed Thanksgiving dinner not just with his wife and kids, but also with his other family members as well. And he has always had a great time.

Joseph Cianciotto currently resides in Long Island, New York with his wife Jen and two daughters. Visit this blog for more articles about family and parenthood.