Parents don't know a lot of things because they are so much older than you. You see... the problem is that your parents have lived so long that they can't learn new things very well, like how to use a computer mouse. It's not that they can't learn or that they don't want to, it just takes them much longer. Studies show that parents have a very short attention span compared to kids when using a computer. You may only need a break every few hours to pee as you stay up all night on Second Life. Parents, on the other hand, may need a week break after the mere hour it takes them to check their one e-mail address. In the time it would take your parents to type this hub, your computer would depreciate $200.00 in value. And they frequently get technology terms mixed up like CD's, Tape's, and Records. "Hey Blake I bought you that new Coldplay tape you said you wanted." Sound familiar?

Instead of responding with, "great I'll just get into my time machine and go back to the stone age to play my tape," try educating your parent. Parents learn best by playing games. Make sure you allow your parent the "Ah ha" moment when everything clicks. So you could say, "Coldplay doesn't make tapes, Dad." Then your parent might say, "Well I got you this, I think it says Viva La Vida on the cover of the record." Then you should say something like, "I already ripped it." This will keep them guessing. Then as they start getting angry thinking that you stole the album (which you probably did, but not the way they are thinking) play the song with your cell phone and say something like, "Look a magic phone that plays tapes." Then your parent will have the opportunity to put the pieces together, and they will thank you for it when you get older. Don't give up. As time goes on, you will find your parents getting much smarter. Eventually, you might actually learn something from them.

Parents need quality time with their kids to develop correctly. They need more than just time with their peers. Parents will not be able to relate to anyone under 25 by the time you are 15 if you don't spend time with them. If you want your parent to develop a healthy sense of humor, you must spend time with them doing things you love to do. Parents are so far past having fun that you have to demonstrate it for them so that they can see how it works. This is called modeling. Most counselors will tell you that parents pick up so many of the behaviors of their children that it is crucial to be a good example for them as they learn to be more care free, egocentric, and socially paranoid. Parents don't realize, for example, that when they enter a cafeteria everyone is looking at them. They don't even seem to care what kind of clothes they are wearing. You should be their largest influence, don't let co-workers make them even more socially awkward.

Some Kids pull their hair out when they see their parents waste money through frivolous spending on things like gas. Once again parents have forgotten that they can ride the bus or walk instead of filling up the gas tank. Riding a bike, appearantly, is not just like riding a bike. Parents forget this skill the moment you are born. You may have to get them training wheels like your bike has to get them started.

Parents somehow lose their sense of value of a dollar

Instead of spending time and money on reading the paper every morning, suggest they get a paper route. Then suggest the internet as a free source for news.  Tell them it covers more interesting topics anyway and all those boring regular newspaper topics. Show them how to get the interesting news for free.

There is another way you can teach your parents to manage money. Just remind them constantly of all the things that you could buy if you had as much money as them. For example, remind them how much bubble gum one mortgage/rent payment would buy. Then explain how much longer the gum would last than the short 30 days of rent. 10,000 pieces of gum last a lot longer. Most of the time parents are swimming in so many monthly payments they can't save much money for things they want like a swimming pool. Really silly parents save money to help you go to college and don't realize that college is really unnecessary these days. You know you can probably make more money online by moving one finger a few times than your parents can make a whole day at their stressful dead end job with a jerk boss, and you are only 12. Of course, you know there's more to life than money so you have to be a good example to your parents. Spend your time playing video games, shopping, listening to music, watching movies, hanging with friends, and playing sports.

It's not uncommon for some kids to be faced with an angry parent. Angry parents typically go through their phase of anger when you are between the ages of 2 and 19. Some of it seems to be environmental, while on the other hand it seems run in families. Your parent may have an anger problem if:

• you are caught smoking and get yelled at, scolded, or hit on the butt with a wooden spoon, hand, or paddle.
• They can't handle it when you get bad grades and call your teacher, talk nicely with them, and then yell at you, ground you, and make you do chores. Then they ruminate by pervasively asking you if you did your homework.
  
• They yell at you and threaten you when you talk to them as if you were their boss.
  

Research shows that a hand, paddle, or wooden spoon running into your but swiftly has an immediate calming effect for parents. Unfortunately parents somehow forget that hitting others is not nice, and sometimes manipulate the circumstances so that your butt will have a swift stinging collision with another object. You can suggest that your parent hit a pillow when they are angry, but this just breeds more anger and gives them practice.

The best way to teach your parents not to hit is to wait until you are in your 20's (I know it's a long time) and then tell them how horrible it was that they hit your butt. Remember every detail so you can review it with them. Then tell them they are never allowed near your own child because you don't want their butts hit. Most parents learn their lesson at this point. If you can't wait until you are in your 20's then you will have to learn the magic phrases. Here are some examples of magic phrases.

• We don't hit people in this family
• That's a bad touch when you hit my bottom
• Is there another form of punishment you could use that is less violent?
• I think that it would be best for our relationship if no one was ever hit.
• Are you making good decisions?
• Does grandma hit you when you make mistakes?

When parents mess up, just realize that it is only a phase. Remember, being overbearing or too corrective doesn't give them the oportunity to learn how to be your parent. Make sure you give them their privacy and enough room to learn and grow. Parents don't usually want to tell you everything, and they don't want you to know everything about them. Let them approach you for advice. Be present and available to support them in their growth as a parent.

A Few Tips To Help Your Parents

• Keep your room door closed so your parents can have privacy in the rest of the house.
  

• Use parental controls and passwords on your technological devices so they don't get into things they shouldn't (like your FB account).
  

• Stay calm when they are upset. Help them learn from thier mistakes without being judgemental, even if they hit you on the butt, forgive them and move on.

• Remember, no parents are born great parents. They must learn a lot of things from you in order to be a success. Don't expect too much progress too fast.

• Try moving out and giving them independence and responsibility. Most parents become much smarter the day you move out of the house. Experts say it's because they become too dependent and lack goals if you stay with them too long.