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 Parenting Related NewsOne of the most important things you can do as a 21st Century grandparent is instilling a belief in philanthropy. My husband and I have helped foster a sense of “giving back” into our grandchildren that is helping them learn the importance of assisting those in need.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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?
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!”
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.
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Why Are Our Kids Killing Themselves?CURRENT REPORTS ON SUICIDE You may have read or heard about the statistics on suicide reported in the news on September 6, 2007. It is important to note that although the headlines blared things like: Suicides Rise After Warnings; Suicide Rate Among Girls Soars, etc., the number of suicides went from 7.3 per 100,000 in 2003 to 8.2 per 100,000 in 2004 in the 15 to 19 year old range. That is not to say that suicide is not a mental health crisis amongst teenagers, nor are we minimizing the this unthinkable loss. It is especially disconcerting because suicide rates for teenagers had been going down. Nevertheless, suicide rates as the number three killer of teenagers. Three issues became apparent when these stories came out: suicide in teens is on the increase; questions have been raised as to whether the issuing of a "black box" warning on antidepressants may have caused the spike; girls are committing more suicide. Here are some links we found to help you better understand the reports. |
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