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Posted on October 11, 2017

How to Talk Through Decisions with Your Teens

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On Mack’s 15th birthday, we found ourselves at the Department of Motor Vehicles to get his driver’s permit. Everything about the driver’s permit was a life lesson: the preparation and testing involved; the mind-numbing inefficiency of our time at the DMV; the 50 hours of driving time we need to log between now and his 16th birthday.

However, the most important conversation we had was about how he should answer the question: “Do you want to be an organ or tissue donor?”

To the uninformed, this is a question we might feel obligated to answer in the affirmative. During our ridiculously long wait, I explained to Mack that I felt this decision is better handled by people I love, who know me and who I’ve empowered to make the decision once they understand the situation. 

I further explained that I didn’t believe a medical professional would rush to harvest organs; nevertheless, I do not want to empower the government or people who don’t know me to have decision-making authority.

Mack declined to become an organ donor. He remarked that he felt his dad and I would be the best people to determine what was appropriate, if the situation presented itself. It was an important conversation to have.

Helping kids reason through conversations like this is no small task, and college is one of the most complex. Knowing how much freedom to give, when to speak and when to let them work through it themselves is half art, half science and a pinch of luck. 

At the Center for College Solutions, our passion is to help families through this important step and make college an affordable reality. Get in touch today for a complimentary initial consultation and let’s get started!

Let’s talk!