It’s Never Too Early to Learn How to Raise a Teen
daughters, Sophie, age 6 and Kate, age 4, I am already learning how the teen years will dramatically affect my children’s futures. Advice is coming at me with relevant urgency, “You will turn around one day soon, and before you know it, your girls will be teenagers.” As a staff member preparing for DCT’s TEEN SCENE FESTIVAL and as a mom, preparing for the future, I have been soaking up wisdom from three extra- ordinary women who have raised two teens each, and have seen them move on to successful adult lives and careers: Robyn Flatt, Linda Daugherty and Nancy Schaeffer. Dallas Children’s Theater Founder,
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Robyn Flatt; Resident Playwright, Linda Daugherty; and Education Director, Nancy Schaeffer have created one of the most notable children’s theaters in the United States, 28 years strong. Through years of professional and personal experience, they have developed amazing and one-of-a- kind programming, like DCT’s TEEN SCENE FESTIVAL. The Festival is a safe and informative outlet using the power of live theater to help parents, teens and educators understand youth issues of today. This unique festival offers professional plays, written by Linda Daugherty, that reflect current
s a new member of the Dallas Children’s Theater (DCT) staff and the mother of two
teen issues like: bullying, learning differences and self-esteem disorders. Resources before and after the plays give the opportunity to ask questions and take home solutions.
By Stephanie Spaulding you NOT to give up on them.
• Involve your teen in self-esteem and confidence building activities.
• When you think they are not listening, they are, and they ultimately DO NOT want to disappoint their parents.
• Talk with them and give them helpful advice, but LISTEN. Listening is most important.
Robyn, Linda and Nancy know Click
Code: Teens2011
To Win! While discovering what all the
TEEN SCENE FESTIVAL has to offer by sitting down and talking to Robyn, Linda and Nancy, I gleamed some very important advice that will be relevant in my very near “mommy” future: • Keep an open dialogue with your teen and be blunt.
• Learn to respect your teen, but also teach them that respect is a “two way street”.
• If you don’t have the answer or solution, it is okay to seek help and advice from others.
• “Hang in there”, your teen wants 22 North Texas Kids • February 2011 •
www.NorthTexasKids.com
that parents need resources and young people respond to seeing the stories of their lives played out in front of them. DCT’s TEEN SCENE FESTIVAL provides an opportunity to connect, one curtain call at a time. DCT’s TEEN SCENE FESTIVAL runs February 4-20 at Rosewood Center for Performing Arts. The Festival is anchored by two dramatic works for young adults that explore the often misunderstood worlds of learning differences (hard 2 spel dad) and violence in teen dating (dont u luv me?). Both are must-see productions for teens, their parents, and everyone who works with young people. During the weeks that these two shows are running, additional TEEN SCENE FESTIVAL activities will take place, including Baker Idea Institute Symposium workshops, a film screening and student productions of Linda Daugherty’s dynamic plays, The Secret Life of Girls and EAT (It’s Not About Food).
For more information and tickets to the TEEN SCENE FESTIVAL please call The Box Office at 214.740.0051 or visit
www.DCT.org.
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