More tips and advice for parents
If you suspect or know that your teen is abusing alcohol or another drug, should you stage an intervention? more...
SUWS Wilderness Programs, the nations longest continuously operating therapeutic wilderness program, has reached an unprecedented milestone: 30 consecutive years of service to youth in crisis and their families. more...
Teen drug abuse remains a prevalent problem throughout the world, but teen drug rehab programs offer both help and hope to families of adolescents and teens in crisis. more...
Being over-connected on social media sites leaves many teens feeling completely disconnected. more...
Is this the summer your child will go from trying marijuana to using hallucinogens or harder drugs? Or the summer your teen will lose touch with childhood friends to start hanging out with a cool older crowd? more...
Overprotective parents tend to produce children who are fearful, anxious and lack confidence in their own abilities. Even though the parents are undoubtedly acting out of love, their actions are often based on their own worries, fears and feelings, not necessarily whats in the best interest of the child. more...
In wilderness therapy, teens work through their emotions and negative behaviors 24 hours a day, with guidance from a team of therapists, field instructors and peers. Teens quickly reveal who they are and what theyre struggling with, which allows the staff to make progress more quickly than in traditional therapeutic environments. more...
There is an unfortunately high probability that your child will be bullied by one of his or her classmates. There are right and wrong ways for children (and parents) to handle bullying. Here are some things to keep in mind. more...
Even though the thought of your teen entering the world of dating and relationships may strike terror in you, you have an important role to play in preparing your teen to make healthy choices. more...
Nobody wants to admit that their child is a bully. But if there are kids getting bullied at school, there are kids doing the bullying. And that child might just be yours. more...
Before you feel too confident just because you know your teen has a Facebook or MySpace account, consider whether you really know what your child is doing on these sites. more...
You should be aware of the potential for teen dating violence something one in three teens will experience in an intimate relationship. more...
Texting while driving is more dangerous than driving while intoxicated, yet about a quarter of teens have texted while driving. more...
When should you begin to worry about your child's weight? How much should she eat? Or exercise? How much weight can he gain before you should be concerned? more...
About 30 million children and teens participate in organized sports in the U.S. At younger ages than ever before, kids are starting sports and quickly ramping up to a level thats often so demanding, its not sustainable for kids or their parents. more...
If you have gone through a divorce, there's a good chance you don't want to ever have to deal with your ex-spouse again. But, for the sake of the kids, you'll have to - likely for the rest of your life. more...
While you're making New Year's resolutions about losing weight, saving money and exercising, also consider resolving to be the best parent you can be. more...
Teenagers everywhere are anxiously awaiting a break from the daily grind of school, homework and tests. But going into winter break without a plan vastly increases the chances that your teens will use their free time to get into trouble. Here are a few ways your teens can make productive use of their winter vacation. more...
If you have been struggling with your teens' behaviors all year, the best gift you can give them is a chance to get away from the stress of the holidays and families and work on themselves. more...
The first holiday after a divorce is usually the hardest and brings the most questions. Here are a few ways to make the holidays less traumatic for teens after a break-up. more...
Merging two families is not always easy, and holiday traditions are a time when the differences between two families can become more prominent. more...
How do you know if your teen is mature enough to stay home alone? Start by asking yourself these questions. more...
While you won't be able to eliminate stress in your children's lives, there are things you can do to decrease the amount of stress your children deal with regularly. more...
Bullying remains a distressingly prevalent reality in U.S. middle and high schools. The National Youth Violence Prevention Network reports that about 30 percent of students (more than 5.7 million young people) are involved in bullying -- either bullying other students, being bullied themselves, or both. Certain signs can help you determine if your child is being bullied or otherwise harassed at school. more...
Most researchers who study children believe that over-supervising a teen actually stunts development. What is important is to love, support and trust your teen, and respect their privacy and independence. more...
If you have finally consented to letting your child have a TV in their bedroom, you may want to reconsider. A recent study examining the link between blood pressure in children and their choice of inactive pastimes discovered that TV viewing leads to significantly higher blood pressure in children compared to reading and using the computer. more...
What if you discovered that everything you thought you knew about boarding schools was wrong? more...
Studies show that teens with high self-confidence are less likely to experiment with drugs and alcohol, engage in risky behaviors, and act out at home or in school. But where does self-esteem come from? more...
Although parents worry their teens aren't living the youthful, carefree lives they deserve, there may be a silver lining to the current economic climate: Every obstacle presents new opportunities to learn valuable life lessons. more...
While the United States is among the richest nations in the world, the country is also experiencing record levels of overweight and obesity. But many people who are struggling with excess weight are doing so not because they've been gorging themselves on multi-course meals in high-end restaurants, but because they've been trying to make a dwindling food budget stretch as far as possible. more...
Teenagers are feeling the stress of the economy - and when teens feel stressed, the whole family is likely to suffer. Here are a few tips to help your teen cope. more...
Adults often dismiss signs of teen depression as normal adolescent angst while their children suffer in silence. But much of the suffering depressed teens experience can be prevented and treated. more...
A recently released study that was funded by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the National Institute of Mental Health (NIMH) has caused many parents to fear that the medications they give their children to improve the quality of their lives may be putting those same lives at risk. However, the FDA has cautioned parents that the study's small sample size, and the fact that the benefits of ADHD meds outweigh the risks, should not cause them to change their child's ADHD medication regimen without first consulting with their family physician. more...
Regardless of what previous summer vacations have taught you about the pressures that await your family, 12 weeks without school doesn't have to transform your living room into a battlefield. No one is promising an entirely stress-free experience, but following five simple tips can help make summer less painful, and perhaps even a pleasant experience for the whole family. more...
More than a few cultural observers have called into question the value (and, in some cases, the very necessity) of a father's efforts on behalf of his children. However, those critics are arguing in the face of considerable scientific and sociological research, the bulk of which points toward a common conclusion: Fathers matter - and good fathers offer a world of benefits to their sons and daughters. more...
There are so many great reasons to send children and teens to camp. Here is just a taste of what's in store for your teen at summer camp. more...
Teens at wilderness camp enjoy the great outdoors, play games, and get to know other teens but with the added benefit of having trained field guides and masters level therapists available to address some of the troubling behaviors they have exhibited in the past and get them back on track to finish high school on a high note. more...
Prom night is the stuff of teen dreams -- and parental nightmares. Concerns about underage drinking, unsafe driving, and rampant overspending can transform a memorable event into a point of great contention. But following a few simple tips can help put parents and their teens back on the same side of the issue, and can make it much more likely that prom will be a safe and happy experience for everyone. more...
Can a teenage girl who sends a sexy picture of herself to her boyfriend face prosecution for child pornography? Incredibly, the answer is yes. more...
From the moment you first enrolled your child in school, you've been preparing yourself for a wide range of challenges, from academic struggles to lunchroom dramas to the aftermath of that first romantic entanglement. But finding out that your child has become a bully? That one wasn't on the agenda. more...
One of the best ways for children to stay healthy and build their coordination and self-confidence is by playing sports. If your child expresses interest in organized sports, but has never played, let him try several sports both individual and team. more...
Parents often make the mistake of bargaining with their teen when they are unclear about which rules are negotiable and which are non-negotiable. Here are a few tips from the experts about how to avoid power struggles with your child. more...
How are children diagnosed with an autism spectrum disorder? This question has become more urgent as the number of children diagnosed with spectrum disorders ranging from Asperger's syndrome to severe autism has risen dramatically. more...
Prom can be a time of great anticipation for teens - and an angst-laden experience for many parents. Managing your teen's prom-related behaviors may not always be easy, but a few important actions can go a long way toward ensuring that his or her behaviors remain in line with your expectations. more...
Parents are the primary role models for their teenagers' behavior, which gives them the power to positively or negatively impact their children's health. more...
Teenagers love the look of glowing, sun-kissed skin but don't be fooled: Sun exposure is directly correlated with skin cancer and is particularly dangerous for teens. more...
To help families make changes that will complement the lessons their children learn in the wilderness, SUWS of the Carolinas invites parents to participate in two-day workshops. more...
Lurking about halfway between the winter holidays and summer vacation are two words that elicit divergent emotions among tingling-with-excitement teenagers and their apprehensive (if not downright fearful) parents: Spring Break. When it comes to keeping your child away from drugs, alcohol, and other negative influences the following tips can help increase the odds that your child's spring break will be free of 4 a.m. phone calls or unexpected visits from local law enforcement personnel. more...
For the first time since 1991, teen pregnancy is on the rise in the United States. In the years between 1991 and 2005 teen pregnancies had been steadily declining. There is no singular reason for the rise in teen pregnancy; however, there are a number of contributing factors. more...
Contrary to the slacker stereotype with which they are often branded, many of today's teenagers are remarkably busy people. Parents who are concerned that their teens are overdoing it can help ease the strain by teaching them to incorporate the following time-management skills into their lives. more...
Your young adult just graduated from college, they aren't sure they know what to do, and they are asking you for money every few weeks - how do you cut the purse strings and teach them to be independent? more...
Parents should be aware of the danger signs of teen dating violence. more...
Social networking sites have been in the news a lot lately, but few of the headlines have been of much comfort to parents whose children spend any amount of time online. For those whose children are already struggling with challenges such as Asperger's, ADD/ADHD, or high-functioning autism, worries and fears about online activities may be particularly acute. more...
