More tips and advice for parents
Geeks, Preppies, Goths, and Skaters
Discussed are drugs and self-destructive behaviors associated with different cliques. However, keep in mind that the vast majority of teens get through high school and become productive adults without troubled adolescences, and very few will develop these problems.
Saying "NO" to Your Teen
The trick for us parents is to help our kids become assertive adults while keeping them in line. To do this we need, obviously, a lot of patience, combined with a huge amount of stamina, tempered with a bit of humility.
Just Moody or a Sign of a Bigger Problem? How to Tell if Your Teen Needs Professional Help
Many of the symptoms of a mental health disorder are strikingly similar to what is to be expected as normal teen behavior. Which leads us to the question that all parents would like to have answered: Is my teen just moody - or is he in need of professional help?
Helping Teens Define Friendship
The primary difference between teen friendships and adult friendships is that teens are, at the same time, more prepared and less prepared to acquire and retain friendships. Like many other things in life, teens are merely trying to wade their way through all of the rules and regulations of becoming your own person.
Don't Put Your Overweight Child on a Diet
Experts on childhood obesity warn parents: Don't put your overweight child on a diet designed for grown-ups. Read why.
Peer Pressure and Popularity
There's not a kid alive that won't someday have to deal with at least one form of peer pressure. The reality is that peer pressure is simply a fact of life for kids and teens. As parents, we struggle to make sure that our kids have been taught right from wrong and that they have all of the emotional tools necessary to survive the teen years.
Equine Therapy for Asperger's Kids
For a child with Asperger's Syndrome, social activities that are part of daily living can feel like trying to fit a square peg into a round hole: no matter how hard he tries to fit in, it just doesn't seem to work.
The Physical Effects of Violent Video Games
Do violent video games make young people more violent? We all want the answer to this controversial question, and to this day, the research is unclear.
Lack of Sleep Impairs Teens' Health, Academic Progress
Today's teens aren't getting enough sleep - and it's the adults' fault, not theirs.
Teens at Great Risk for Developing Eating Disorders
For some young people, the tumultuousness of their teen years is exacerbated by a self-destructive behavior that can put their very lives at risk.
Born to Bully: Is Your Child 'Wired' to Harass Other Kids?
Does your child have a history of acting in an aggressive or hostile manner toward other children? His bullying may be the result of a behavior disorder, low self-esteem, or feelings of personal inadequacy - or it might be a sign of an abnormal brain function.
Abusing Siblings
Almost all siblings squabble - and may even resort to physical acting out at times - but there is a difference between sibling rivalry and sibling abuse.
Talking With Teens About Sex
With television messages being shoved in their faces and magazine ads displaying a level of sexuality never before seen or tolerated, today's teens have a lot more to deal with than in generations past.
Teens Get in Trouble with Daredevil Games
Some of teen fatalities occur after a teen accepted a dare, tried to impress friends, experimented with drugs, or otherwise took some unnecessary risk that ended in tragedy.
Lying to Parents
Teens lie about many things, from how they spend their money to where they're going, who they're with, and what they're doing. Teens lie for a variety of reasons, including a need for autonomy and to protect themselves from parental reactions.
