Raising a teen

By: Sara Eckel source- workingmother.com
Certainly the challenges of raising a tween or teen
aren't new. What is new is that employers are recognizing working parents'
urgent need for support handling these challenges. That's why innovative
programs for adolescents—though they're far from widespread—are gaining ground
at some forward-thinking Working Mother 100 Best Companies. These businesses
understand that they need to provide support beyond child care for babies and
that bigger kids mean bigger challenges. They've also learned that their
employees' peace of mind is priceless. So they've let it be known that working
moms like Amanda can turn to them for help."If a parent is sitting at her desk
with a project that's due tomorrow and she can't locate her child, what's going
to take priority?" asks Maureen Corcoran, vice president of diversity at
Prudential Financial. "It's a problem that begs for help."Amanda signed up for
Carlson Companies' emotional support counseling, available through the company's
LifeWorks program. She and her daughter received several free visits with a
therapist who understood the parent-teen dynamic. The counseling helped mom and
daughter negotiate a balance between Amanda's desire for discipline and
Christina's wish for freedom. "Sometimes you just need to know the right thing
to say, and counseling from a professional really helps with that," says Amanda.

Individual counseling is only one of many ways that
companies are extending a helping hand to their mom and dad employees. Others
include support groups for the parents of teenagers and, for kids, cool camps
that promote building self-esteem and learning about such subjects as science,
as well as programs that offer volunteer opportunities and college-preparation
classes. Tackling the Tough StuffIt was standing room only at PNC Financial
Services Group's first Parenting-the-Teen Support Group in 2004, offered as part
of the company's observance of Effective Parenting Month. Feedback from the
event showed that working parents were spooked about issues like teen drug use
and eating disorders and wanted to know more about communicating with their
kids. The session's popularity spurred the launch of twice monthly Teen and
Tween Talks, in which experts lead lunchtime discussions on anything from teen
pregnancy to summer jobs. "When your child is young and in day care, you feel
like you have support," says Erin Walsh, the mother of two teenagers and a
technology officer for PNC in Pittsburgh. "The teachers work closely with your
child, so you can talk with them about parenting and developmental issues. Then
your kid hits twelve—and you're on your own."Erin finds PNC's teen support group
particularly helpful, especially the advice from other parents.

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