| Issue Date: May 22, 2005
Getting through to your teens
Some of the best advice on how to communicate with your teenagers comes straight from the mouths of -- teenagers. In their new book, "Breaking the Code," Lara Fox and Hilary Frankel, 18-year-old seniors at New York's Fieldston School, unlock the secrets of how parents can talk to their often uncommunicative teens. Believe it or not, say the authors, teens ...
-- Really do listen to you. They may be IM'ing and doing homework as you talk to them, but they do hear you and care about what you have to say.
-- Want a conversation, not a lecture. Lectures don't work; kids tune out. Instead, Fox says, try starting with "I know you know this, but it makes me feel better to have this conversation ..."
-- Crave boundaries. "Teens want parents to care, and boundaries [such as reasonable curfews] are part of it," Frankel says.
-- Need their space. The biggest arguments can be avoided if parents can figure out how to respect their teenagers' personal space while understanding what's going on in their lives, the girls maintain. Digging through a backpack for clues is not OK. Communication is.
-- Like to eat out -- if they're not paying. Because most teens are on a budget, an invitation for a free restaurant meal is irresistible -- even with Mom or Dad. Going out to eat provides a friendly opportunity for dialogue. Inviting a friend along can help ease the conversation.
Contributing Editor Soledad O'Brien is co-anchor of CNN's "American Morning."
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Tips on MP3 shopping
If you've been lusting for an iPod mini, Apple's compact portable MP3 music player, there's good news. Fierce competition in the 5- to 6-gigabyte arena has led Apple to reduce the price of its popular 6GB model (with enough space to hold 1,500 songs) from about $300 to $249.
Other high-quality machines go for about the same price (or way less, if you check discount retailers and Web sites). Many of these 5GB minis (about 1,250 songs) have great features not found on the iPod mini.
Before you buy, check out this quick comparison from James Kim of the electronics site Cnet.com, a good place to comparison-shop.
Model: iRiver H10 (5GB)
Features: Color screen, voice recorder, FM tuner, removable battery, photo display
List price: $279.99
Model: Dell Pocket DJ (5GB)
Features: Very easy to use, no frills, most affordable
List price: $199
Model: Creative Zen Micro (5GB)
Features: FM tuner, voice recorder, removable battery, built-in personal info manager
List price: $229.99
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Ease workout pain without pills
Reduce pain and speed recovery without scary side effects.
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With recent news about increased risk for heart attack, stroke and gastrointestinal complications associated with some oral pain medications, what's a sore exerciser to do? Luckily, alternative treatments can effectively reduce pain and speed recovery without scary side effects. (Of course, if you're seriously injured or if soreness continues beyond two days, consult a doctor.)
Take a look:
Heat therapy: Apply continuous low-level heat (such as ThermaCare's HeatWraps) to affected area for up to 8 hours. How it works: Raises deep-tissue temperatures, stimulating sensors that inhibit transmission of pain signals to the brain; increases blood flow to site of pain, speeding healing of damaged tissue.
Movement: Less-intense activity than the workout that caused the soreness. How it works: "Walking it off" helps by circulating blood to the area, carrying nutrients to sore muscles and flushing out leftover toxins.
Massage: Discuss your pain with a certified therapist to determine the most effective form of massage. How it works: Manipulation of soft tissue assists in circulation of blood and lymphatic fluids to speed healing; releases tension stored in muscles.
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When airport security rejects your stuff ...
If you forget to take the knife off your keychain and get stopped by airport security, now there's an alternative to throwing it away. A company called ReturnKey Systems has started installing kiosks near security checkpoints so travelers can use a credit card to mail home rejected valuables.
The automated process takes about two minutes and costs an average of $8.95, plus postage. The service is now available at Newark, Washington Dulles, Minneapolis-St. Paul, LaGuardia (New York), Houston Intercontinental, Austin and McAllen (Texas) airports. Additional sites are expected to open by year's end.
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