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She smiled and said she was proud of him. He had come to a 180 degree turn in his life. And with that, he turned to the other teens and thanked them for helping him change his life. His victory became theirs.
I am betting that very few of you have sat through a week’s worth of sex education classes at your teenkid’s school. If your school district offers – or mandates – such classes, you no doubt have received a carefully crafted note listing the topics to be covered. And, if you have somehow managed to raise one of those rare tweens or teens who, in response to “so, what happened at school today?” replies polysyllabically, you might have a general notion of what goes on.
As a college student living 5 hours away from my parents, I have the freedom to do pretty much whatever I want. If I got into any real trouble, with the university or the law, only then would the school contact my parents. Otherwise, I can get away with a lot without my parents ever knowing. That’s a scary thought for parents reading this, right?
Let’s face it. Teens are not that interested in talking to someone whose sole intent is to pepper them with questions, judge their answers, and offer unsolicited advice. In fact, these forms of communication serve to obstruct rather than facilitate communication with our teens. As a matter of fact, they are part of a longer list of communication blocks that parents would do well to avoid if they’d want their teens to talk to them.
While it was hard to immediately see the outward effects of my pill intake, inside, I was detaching from reality. I always describe the feeling of being on pills as being inside a protective bubble. You feel like nothing can hurt you…and eventually, nothing can, simply because you’ve got no emotions left.
Do you know an outstanding youth coach or student athlete who demonstrates a commitment to fair, drug-free play and an overall healthy lifestyle?  Does this person inspire others to give it their all, make the team smile after a big defeat, or show exemplary character and integrity on and off the field? If you answered YES, [...]
One in five teenagers has abuse prescription pain medication. Dr. Drew shares some reasons why teens are abusing pills and what parents can do if they suspect their child is using.
Being a responsive parent instead of a reactive parent begins with more matter-of-fact interactions with our kids. This means speaking to them in a calm manner and not freaking out, overreacting and getting extreme with our emotions. Too often, when we see something in our relationship that we don’t like, we try to change everything wholesale. We say things like, “From now on, things are going to be different!”
My colleague told me she was having her 10-year-old stepson practice his reading and comprehension skills while reading entries from my personal blog. Effectively, she noted, along the way she discovered that it’s a creative method of early drug prevention too.
Truth be told, the lessons about alcohol consumption that are the most powerful may just be the ones that are not accompanied by a wagging finger and a tongue lashing. It is the small, accumulated lessons about drinking that add up to make a difference.
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ARTICLE ARCHIVE

JUST BECAUSE WE CAN DOESN'T MEAN WE SHOULD: A LOOK AT CELL PHONE USE AND THE DEVELOPMENT OF INDENDENCE IN TEENAGERS - The teenagers to the left of the boy are excited and chatting noisily; they do not sport monkey backpacks, but each of them has...

Eating Disorders and Our Teenagers - Even if you don't have a child with an eating disorder, you will benefit from reading the April 21, 2010 article in the New York...

DOES YOUR TEENAGER WANT TO SAVE THE WORLD? - Helping your teenager explore his or her career path may seem like a daunting project. Although your child may not be ready to...

Study Suggests Letting Children Sleep Late Can Curb Overweight, Obesity - A study published in the November issue of Pediatrics suggests that allowing children to sleep late on weekends and holidays can...

THE ENTITLED ADOLESCENT - Picture this: A parent arrives home to find her teenage daughter in tears,...

HOW DO TEENS MAKE ONLINE DECISIONS? - In the early 1990s, when todays teenagers were babies, the only people who knew about the Internet were scientists, computer...

Does Your Teen Have an Online Conscience? - Most parents understand that social networking isn't optional for teens anymore....

A BOOK CLUB JUST FOR GIRLS - Check out readergirlz.com, an online place for girls who like to read....

Teen Birth Rate Up For Second Year in a Row - New Survey Suggests Parents Most Influence Teens Decisions About Sex...

LAYING DOWN THE LAW FOR YOUR TEEN DRIVER - If you knew the best way to keep your teen driver safe, you'd do it, wouldn't you? This is the second in a series of articles...

HOW TO CRASH PROOF YOUR TEENAGER - Getting a driver license is the most eagerly awaited event in most teenagers' lives and the most dreaded for their parents....

Drive: Nine Ways to Motivate Your Kids To Achieve - WHAT DOES PURPOSE LOOK LIKE? Individuals who are confident in their purpose are highly motivated because they are driven by...

TEEN ORAL SEX "EPIDEMIC" NOT SUPPORTED BY FACTS - Perception That Teens Frequently Substitute Oral Sex For Intercourse A Myth...

IS YOUR CHILD SLEEPING THROUGH LIFE? - Experts say sleep deprivation has become a serious problem for our kids. Here's help....

Test Your Drug Knowledge - What are they? Club drugs are used by teens and young adults at all-night dance parties (also knows as raves), dance clubs and...

The Big One - Cocaine is a powerfully addictive stimulant that directly affects the brain. The white powder is made from the leaf of the coca...

Internet Addiction - Not too long ago, the media announced that members of the American Medical Association were debating whether or not playing video...

Teen Mental Health Problems: What are the Warning Signs - The teen years can be tough for both parent and child. Adolescents are under stress to be liked, do well in school, get along...

Centers for Disease Control Tallies Deaths From Choking Game - Researchers from CDCs Division of Unintentional Injury Prevention analyzed media reports of deaths of children and adolescents...

Girls Who Gab - A researcher at the University of Missouri-Columbia has found that girls who talk very extensively about their problems with friends...

BOTOX AND KIDS? - The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should immediately increase its warnings and directly warn patients and doctors about the...

Study Finds Obese Children Display Early Signs of Heart Disease - A study published in the winter issue of the Journal of Cardiometabolic Syndrome suggests that obese children display early signs...

Why Are Our Kids Killing Themselves? - You may have read or heard about the statistics on suicide reported in the news on September 6, 2007. It is important to note...

Depressed Adolescents Respond Best to Combination Treatment - A combination of psychotherapy and antidepressant medication appears to be the most effective treatment for adolescents with major...

NIMH Helps Teens With Mental Illness - As young people with mental health disorders transition from adolescence to adulthood, they frequently face new and difficult...

Meth-a Monster Drug - As writer Kathy Sena was preparing columns about methamphetamine and cocaine, the two most insidious drugs in our culture today,...

Early Marijuana Use a Warning Sign for Later Gang Involvement - John P. Walters, Director of National Drug Control Policy, released a Special Report in June showing that teens who use drugs...

Check Your Drug Knowledge - Information on commonly abused prescription drugs....

Bragging Rights - First it was the Trophy Wife. Now the Trophy Life includes the Trophy Kid, complete with perfect table manners, perfect report...

Teens Online - Fifty-five percent of Internet users say they have received an unsolicited email advertising a prescription drug, and 40 percent...

What To Do About Bullying - Although its always been around, bullying should never be accepted as normal behavior. The feelings experienced by victims of...

Eating Disorders - Eating is controlled by many factors, including appetite, food availability, family, peer, and cultural practices, and attempts...

Benefits of Antidepressants May Outweigh Risks for Kids - The benefits of antidepressant medications likely outweigh their risks to children and adolescents with major depression and anxiety...

Warning Signs of Depression and Suicide - The following behaviors can be warning signs of suicide and/or depression if they persist for more than two weeks....

Cutting - This interview originally appeared in The Prevention Researcher. Readers posted questions on the publication's website....

The Facts About Marijuana and Teens - Marijuana is the most widely used illicit drug among America's youth. Among kids who use drugs, approximately 60 percent use marijuana...

So That's Why They Do What They Do! - A new NIMH (National Institute of Mental Health) study could help explain why adolescents are so prone to make risky choices....

Links Found Between Risk Taking and Adolescent Sexual Behavior - Researchers following the behavior of children from ages 6 to 16 have discovered links between risky behavior during adolescent...

Bullying in Schools: Harassment Puts Gay Youth At Risk - While trying to deal with all the challenges of being a teenager, gay/lesbian/bisexual/transgender (GBLT) teens additionally have...

WHAT IS ALCOHOLISM? - Many people do not realize that alcoholism is a disease. They also think that alcoholism and alcohol abuse are the same thing....

17-YEAR-OLDS NOW ALLOWED TO BUY PLAN B, MORNING AFTER PILL - The FDA has announced that 17-year-olds can now purchase the emergency contraception pill called Planned B....

HERE IS HELP TO TEACH GIRLS ABOUT THEIR PERIODS - Sometimes it's just tough to begin the conversation....

Dating violence is not as rare as you may think. - ...

Study Confirms Teens Open to Discussing Drugs and Alcohol With Parents By Email, Cell Phones -Some Parents Missing Key Opportunities to Connect- - COMMUNICATING WITH YOUR TEEN has never been easier. It turns out, they want you to text them!...

IS IT EASY TO FIND COMMUNITY SERVICE OPPORTUNITIES? - School Community Service Efforts May Be Hampered by Lack of Time and Resources, Say Educators...

WHEN IS THE RIGHT TIME TO LEAVE YOUR PEDIATRICIAN? - Many kids find it difficult to say goodbye to their pediatrician, because they feel safe in that familiar office. They may have...

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