22 Aug Giving Teenagers Ownership: Why It Matters
Brooklyn Letters
1139 Prospect Avenue, Brooklyn
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We would highly recommend Ally! Our son always asks about her, so very thankful to Brooklyn Letters for introducing us.
~ Emily, mom of Brooklyn 2 year old -
Nicole has been an amazing therapist!! She played a tremendous role in our daughter’s speech progress and overall development. She has come such a long way and we are so happy with the therapy she received!
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I cannot express how grateful and rewarding my experience with Brooklyn Letters has been. Her tutor Ms. Daria is so knowledgeable, amazing, kind and awesome. My daughter has made so much progress in Literacy and Math and it's all … More thanks to Ms. Daria. I know my daughter is sad that she can no longer work with Ms. Daria, as she looked forward to their sessions every week. Thank you again!
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Excellent services, caring therapists.
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Christina was absolutely wonderful. She went out of her way to win my son over and it worked. He looked forward to her visits and his speech improved so much under her care. She was super flexible and it’s clear she truly cares. We adore … More Christina and we’re going to miss her. Almost sad he improved so much! She’s simply amazing and we can’t say enough how great she is. I would recommend her services to anyone and everyone, without hesitation. Thank you so much for connecting us with her!
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We could not be happier with the services Valerie provided! She is very thoughtful and knowledgeable and provided significant guidance to support our daughter's speech development outside of our scheduled sessions. She established … More a great working relationship with her, and she will definitely be missed! Your business model is amazing and it was an absolute pleasure working with Valerie. I've referred your organization and Valerie to the Executive Director of our daughter's school and friends/colleagues who are in need of speech therapy services.
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We cannot say enough good things about Effie, the ASL teacher, who was so engaged and effective with our 2 year old daughter from the very first session! Effie gladly included our whole family in the sessions! Her expertise and fantastic … More personality gave our daughter a way to communicate that she was so desperately seeking. The coordinators at Brooklyn Letters were so helpful and communicative…I would highly recommend their services!
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The company is great with outstanding customer service. They keep my horses protected. I have recommended them to other horses trainers as well that are going to get service early next year. Very professional an honest too. Respectfully … More submitted Christopher
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Ron and Ken did a fantastic job with our security system today. Installed everything very quick. Both of them were very polite and asked us throughout if the installation met our needs. Simply fantastic!
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I called Cornerstone Protection to get a Security system at a relatives out of state property, within a week it was installed! The installers worked with the client to help understand her new system and she was happy! Our relative said … More they were courteous, professional and patient! I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection for all of your security needs!
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Had blink cameras; Car was broken into multiple times so I called CornerStone & they were able to install multiple cameras very quickly & for a reasonable price. I am so happy with the app & getting alerts that are not superfluous, … More like they were with Blink. Highly recommend CornerStone & the tech Ronnie.
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Ron and Ken are great guys to work with.
Both were very knowledgeable and got our system back up and running.
Thanks to both for a job well done... -
Samantha Dalmas was fantastic! We saw her for a feeding therapy evaluation and while she doesn’t think my daughter needs more feeding therapy sessions at this time, but she gave me lots of tips to try. If my daughter's doctors want … More to see more progress at her next appointment, I wouldn’t hesitate to reach out to Samantha again.
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Amazing assistance provided by Shannon today on my security system. I’m so grateful for your prompt, efficient, professional, and courteous service. Put me down as a customer for life!
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One of the most painless experiences I've had. They came on time and was over the moon professional with still keeping a level of personability to it. The gentleman also went out of his way to say that my husband and Mines business … More was appreciated. Which is actually rare to be appreciated by such a great company. So thank you and we look forward to continuing services with this company.
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I am so happy we decided to go with cornerstone. They were quick and efficient. Shannon and the installer we very friendly. We got a lot of equipment and it was still within our budget. 10/10 would definitely recommend! Thank you
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Love the customer service and Shanon and his team go above and beyond for my restaurant. Couldn't of asked for a better security system and level of service that his team provides.
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I have been using Cornerstone Protection service for over 5 years and I'm really happy with the service and state-of-the-art equipments and it's futures are so much in advance and friendly, I highly recommend Cornerstone Protection … More Service any and all business that need a security protection days and nights specially after business hours(Cornerstone Protection is perfect solution for your business). Owner of Cornerstone Protection is proactive with their customers and their equipments. Good experienced with Cornerstone Protection!!!
Kanu Patel -
We had a very positive experience with Alissa as a tutor for our pod of 5th grade boys from January - June 2020. She cared a lot about the boys and worked hard to create meaningful activities for them. The pod experience was invaluable … More for all of our families during a difficult year and we were so grateful to have found this partnership! We also want to appreciate Craig for helping to match us with a tutor on very short notice after we had cycled through a few folks who were not able to see the commitment through. Thanks for sticking with us!
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Dusty was the exact person we needed to help our child finish out the school year. So grateful to him for the way he steadily encouraged her and helped her stay on track and organized. He is flexible, responsive to our needs/schedule as … More a family, and a delight to be with. We are also thankful that Craig at Themba Tutors really "gets it" and partnered us with such a wonderful tutor who was a great fit for our girl.
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My child worked with Gillian D virtually for math enrichment. She is an excellent teacher. She took time to understand my child's specific learning style and provided tools that would be engaging. She was kind and empathetic- really … More made it her goal to connect with my child and build trust and rapport. My child started the school year with confidence and without the typically "brain-drain" that occurs over the summer, thanks to Gillian.
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I am going into my second year as a Themba tutor. I have met so many great individuals while working for this company. Craig and the rest of the Themba team do such an excellent job picking and choosing Themba tutors that suit each client's … More individual needs! I look forward to meeting new tutors and clients in the 2021-2022 school year!
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Our son started in a new high school, 100% remote, and was really struggling with Latin and Physics. I found Themba Tudors online and had an initial call with Craig, who was very knowledgeable, responsive, and found 2 amazing tutors for … More us. Both the Latin and the physics tutors were fantastic, connected with my son really well and helped him go from 'failing' grade to 'honors'! I will for sure continue using (and recommending!) Themba Tutors. Thank you, C, K, and W!
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Brian is a fantastic executive functioning coach. Super helpful, flexible with hours, and tailored the experience to our needs.
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Giulia Mercuri is a great Italian tutor! She was very responsive and accessible. Giulia put a ton of effort into preparing for each session and really helped our son with test preparation and projects. We are grateful that she was able … More to help, especially since our son did not receive any live teaching during COVID. We are happy that she was referred to us!
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As an adult student diagnosed with a learning disability during grad school, I knew I needed help dealing with my Master's program's demanding workload. I was seriously considering dropping out when I was referred to Themba Tutors. … More I was paired up with a wonderful tutor, Julie, who was a total lifesaver. I learned many techniques that I can utilize in the future as I embark on the next phase of my career.
I can wholeheartedly say after working with Themba for two years that I would not have finished my program without this organization. And I am so thankful I selected them. -
We were introduced to a wonderful tutor: Mcedwyn. He and our son, a freshman in college, worked well together. As a result, our son’s grades significantly improved. The tutor taught our son subject content and various methods to effectively … More study for quizzes and exams. Our son was also taught time management and organization. My son’s experience with the tutor made the first year of college a less intimidating experience.
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We have been with our tutor, Cailin Schiller, for two years, from 5th - 7th grade. She started as an executive functioning tutor with my daughter. From the start, she demonstrated a depth of expertise and a selective use of techniques skillfully … More adapted to my daughter’s ADHD and Math disability. Cailin made Math accessible and understandable to her in a way that even her teachers had not been able to do. She differentiated reading, writing and math tasks and assignments to tailor them to my daughter’s unique learning differences. Not only did it have an effect on her grades and her work efficiency, but she finally could do her work with less anxiety. Even my daughter’s teachers used Cailin’s guidance to modify their work with her. But most importantly, she became my daughter’s favorite resource. I can’t say how invaluable Cailin has been to my daughter’s progress and well-being. I’d recommend her a million times over. She is a gem.
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Victoria is a superb tutor. She helped my high school age daughter with her writing. Victoria's skills as a tutor, as well as her sense of humor and her engaging personality went a long way with my daughter.
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Themba Tutors provided a leaning specialist that was a perfect fit for my daughter. I told them what we were looking for and they delivered. Our tutor is responsive and flexible and makes it easy for my daughter to reach out to her own … More her own, which gives her an added sense of responsibility over her learning. As a therapist myself, I now regularly recommend Themba to my patients. A much needed and well provided service to the community!!
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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I'm so glad we were referred to Themba Tutors. After a great initial conversation to learn our needs, we were connected with an excellent tutor, Felicia, who is helping our high school daughter learn better organizational and executive … More skills. Highly recommended.
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We had a wonderful experience with our tutor Micaela. She helped our son not only academically but at every level. We will be forever grateful to have her in our lives.
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The tutors at Themba are fantastic! Caitlyn McNeill helped our son academically, but also with getting organized in every subject, which he so desperately needed. She offered great advice and useful strategies that helped our son become … More a more successful student. We are using Themba tutors again this year for our daughter. We're so happy to have been referred to them!
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Paul Smith at Themba has been an exceptional tutor for my son, both in terms of teaching the subject matter and teaching how best to approach the process of learning math and executing assignments. We feel very fortunate to be working with … More Paul.
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We were very lucky to have found Edwouine Swift, my son's therapist through Themba Tutors. Thomas is 12 years old, and it is extremely difficult to get him to write. Edwouine just works her magic with him, he adores her and is so … More eager to follow her guidance. I have no doubt she will be a positive driving force in his academic future.
GIVING TEENAGERS OWNERSHIP:
Why It Matters
Why Giving Teenagers Ownership Matters?
You know your teen is growing up when they start voicing more opinions about what they want and don’t want. As parents, our instinct is often to clamp down and reassert control. But what if we took a step back and gave our teens more ownership over their lives?
Giving teenagers opportunities to make their own choices and take responsibility for the outcomes helps build confidence and maturity. It shows them you trust their judgment and believe in their ability to become independent. While it may feel easier to mandate rules in the short term, promoting ownership and buy-in from your teen leads to less power struggles and conflict over the long run.
Your teen is their own person with dreams, goals, and ideas about who they want to become. Giving them chances to spread their wings in a safe, guided way is one of the greatest gifts you can offer as they navigate the path to adulthood. Though the teen years often get a bad rap as rebellious and angsty, with the right approach, these years can be an exciting opportunity for growth for both you and your child.
Providing Teenagers Opportunities for Ownership
Giving teens more ownership and control over their lives is so important. When you provide opportunities for real responsibility, it helps build their confidence and self-esteem.
Allow your teen to make more of their own choices and decisions. Let them pick out their own clothes, decide what activities to participate in, and have a say in family plans. Start with small things and increase their ownership over time as they show they can handle it.
Give your teen meaningful work and chores around the house. Have them do their laundry, cook meals, budget their allowance, or supervise younger siblings. Real work builds real-world skills and a sense of purpose.
Discuss rules and curfews instead of imposing them. Explain your reasons and listen to their perspective. Come to an agreement together. They will be more inclined to follow the rules they helped establish.
Praise your teen’s effort and accomplishments. Say things like, “I’m proud of you for working hard at school.” or “You did a great job planning that event.” Help them recognize their own achievements to build inner motivation.
Part of growing up is gaining more freedom and control. Provide opportunities for your teen to spread their wings in a safe, supportive way. Their ownership and buy-in will make all the difference. With your guidance, they’ll become independent and responsible young adults.
The Difference Between Ownership and Buy-In
Giving teens ownership over decisions and tasks that affect them is key to their development into responsible adults. Ownership is different from simply asking for their input or “buy-in.”
Ownership means handing over control and trusting them to handle things independently. For example, you might give your teen ownership over planning a family vacation or redecorating their bedroom. You provide guidance and set some basic parameters, but let them make the final choices.
Buy-in, on the other hand, is more superficial. It’s asking for their agreement or opinion without actually giving them any power. For instance, choosing between options you’ve already selected or asking for feedback on decisions that have essentially been made.
Teenagers crave independence and control over their lives. When you give them real ownership, it helps build their confidence and self-esteem. They learn skills like critical thinking, compromise, and responsibility. Ownership also leads to better outcomes since teens are more invested in the results.
Providing ownership is challenging; it means giving up control and living with their mistakes. But with your support and guidance, teens can thrive when given opportunities to make important choices independently. Why not start by giving your teen ownership over something small, like planning a weekly family meal or budgeting their allowance? Their growth and maturity will amaze you.
How to Foster Ownership in Teenagers
To foster a sense of ownership in teenagers, give them opportunities to make choices and have a say in decisions that affect them. When teens feel invested in outcomes, they will be more motivated and responsible.
Offer choices
Allow teens to make choices in areas that matter to them. For example, let them choose between options for a family activity or pick where to go out for dinner. Giving them autonomy in low-risk situations helps build confidence in their decision-making skills.
Ask for input
Invite teens to share their thoughts on topics that influence them. For instance, ask what they think about potential vacation destinations or ways to improve family rules. Express interest in understanding their perspectives and take their input into consideration. Even if you don’t implement their suggestions, they will appreciate that you value their opinion.
Assign meaningful tasks
Provide teens with responsibilities that genuinely impact the household or family. Assign chores and tasks that play to their strengths and interests. Explain how their contributions make a difference. When teens realize their efforts are meaningful and necessary, they gain a sense of ownership and belonging.
Praise their efforts
Offer sincere praise and encouragement for your teen’s meaningful participation and work. Recognize their inputs, choices, suggestions, and completed tasks. Let them know you notice and appreciate their ownership and responsibility. Positive reinforcement will motivate them to remain engaged and invested in the long run.
Providing ownership opportunities empowers teens and leads to greater responsibility, better life skills, and a sense of purpose. Make your teen an active participant in the family and give them a stake in outcomes. Their involvement and buy-in will benefit you both in the end.
Conclusion
So there you have it. Giving your teenagers opportunities to take ownership and make their own choices is not just about teaching responsibility but empowering them to become independent and confident. When you show them you trust their judgment, it makes a world of difference in their motivation and self-esteem.
While it may feel easier to micromanage at the moment, giving them buy-in and ownership is an investment that will pay off hugely down the road. Your teens are growing into young adults who need your guidance and support to spread their wings. Give them chances to make decisions, set their own rules, and solve their own problems. You’ll be amazed at how they rise to the occasion.
Craig Selinger
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