News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

In Southwest Michigan, the Parent to Parent organization helps families with special-needs children by assigning parenting mentors. The mentors, who have also raised children with issues, such as bipolar disorder, Tourettes, ADD, and ADHD, share parenting tips based on experience. Read more from the Kalamazoo Gazette.

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In middle school, when hormones start kicking in, smart girls feel pressure to fit in with other students. They may resist their gifted abilities and labels. This is a very important time for parents to help their daughters overcome any mixed messages and fears. As girls want to fit in with their friends, their parents need to remind them that being smart is a good thing and that its ok to have their own interests. Read more about how to keep girls motivated in school at thedesertsun.com.

An all girls boarding school that helps girls develop their strengths and skills in math, science and the arts is Bromley Brook private school for girls.

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When an Indiana boy told his parents he wanted to go military school, they laughed at first. However, as they started researching boarding schools and thinking about it seriously, they realized it would be good for him.

He went from being, quite honestly, a D average student. So many other things have changed just beyond the academic. His self-confidence is much higher. He's just doing so much better.

His parents say the cost of sending their son to a private boarding school is an investment in his future. Read more about what parents go through when deciding to send their children to boarding schools at The Star Press.

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The London Guardian reported that

the Mental Health Foundation says scientific studies have clearly linked attention deficit disorder (ADD), depression, Alzheimer's disease and schizophrenia to junk food and the absence of essential fats, vitamins and minerals in industrialized diets.

This is just more evidence that proves that poor diets wreak havoc on behavior and mood. The study shows that patients were able to make significant improvements when they changed their diet. Learn more online.

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KTIV in Woodbury county, Iowa, reports that local supervisors may allow parents to use electronic ankle bracelets before their children get into trouble with the law. By offering the electronic anklets to parents of troubled teens, the idea is parents would be able to monitor their teenagers whereabouts and therefore stop any problems before they begin. Read more at www.ktiv.com.

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A recent editorial in the Orlando Sentinel says that Floridas state run boot camps, for juvenile delinquents, are not effective and should be shut down immediately. The military-style boot camps are dangerous and not cost-effective. Instead of pouring money into these useless boot camps for troubled teens, the focus should be on programs that are more successful. Read the entire article online at www.orlandosentinel.com.

Another website that has information about Positive Alternatives to Juvenile Boot Camps for Troubled Teens is www.boot-camps-info.com.

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In the January 30th issue of Newsweek, Peg Tyre writes about the current phenomenon that finds boys in the United States are falling behind. In a 180-degree turn-around, boys arent achieving as much as girls or being as successful as their counterparts. In the last decade, both boys and girls are under new pressures as students. But, because of the ways boys are wired, they arent able to handle these pressures and too often give up. However,

Scientists caution that brain research doesn't tell the whole story: temperament, family background and environment play big roles, too. Some boys are every bit as organized and assertive as the highest-achieving girls. All kids can be scarred by violence, alcohol or drugs in the family.

The cure? Single-sex classrooms? Mentoring programs? It seems at this point, everyone seems to have a theory about what should be done. Hopefully, something will be done soon to stop the freefall of boys. Read the entire Newsweek article online at msnbc.com.

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In the New Media Journal, Peter Slovenksi endorses Daniel Patrick Moynihans new movement, Familyism. According to Moynihan, Familyism,

replaces Chauvinism which favors men and Feminism which favors women. Familyism which favors no one, but is good for men, women, AND children.

Slovenski reports that some of the principles of Familyism include having one stay-at-home parent, not spoiling children, and raising kids with reward and punishments. Read more to decide if you are behind Moynihans Familyism movement.

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Julia Duin reports in the Washington Times that a survey of over 1100 teenagers shows nearly

70 percent of all teenagers value religion in their lives and say they would like to connect better with their religion. Psychologist Anthony Wolf, author of two books on teen parenting, says Teens have a spiritual side to them, if you can only find out how to connect with it.

Read more at washingtontimes.com.

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An article in the Sacramento Bee discusses the debate between parents concern over their childrens safety and their teenagers right to their privacy. The new twist in this case involves the popular website MySpace.com. Just about every teenager has a MySpace page and nowadays teens use it as a major form of communication. Parents feel they have a right to keep an eye on their childs profile to make sure they are staying safe. However, teens feel that its the same as parents listening to their phone calls or reading their diaries. Read more about the teen privacy vs. online safety issue at www.sacbee.com.

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Developed at the Medical University of South Carolina, multisystemic therapy deals with troubled teens by working first and foremost with their parents. In theory, the belief is that if you change the parent, you will change the teenager. By teaching parents to set rules, communicate better, listen more, parents take control over the family. Read more on abc7chicago.com.

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A conference on February 27th at the University of Redlands in California will focus on teaching 8th grade girls about the importance of math and science and the careers that are based on them. Volunteers will speak to 600 girls about a variety of careers and encourage girls to take more math and science classes in high school. The full story is online at pe.com.

Bromley Brook boarding school for girls is a private high school that believes girls can succeed in math, science, and computer science by providing classroom environments, curriculum and teaching techniques that are specifically tailored to girls' biological and emotional developmental patterns, helping them realize their potential as scientists, mathematicians and computer scientists in the process.

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Dan Carlsons editorial on adolescent drug abuse raises the issues of what parents can do to protect their children from negative influences through strict parenting. Carlson feels the best defense against teen drug abuse is a strong offense, that

"The single most effective thing a parent can do is to get actively involved in a child's social life, and the hard part is that means knowing where your child is, who they are with, when they'll be home, enforcing the rules, and setting the rules in stone."

Read more from the Black Hills Pioneer.

Another good resource for parents of teenagers worried about drug use is Adolescent Substance Abuse Knowledge.

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Besty Flagler, columnist for the Charlotte Observer, recently posted a question from a grandmother about giving unwelcome advice to her son. She says

readers say that when grandparents look down on personal parenting choices, they risk building resentment and alienating their grandchildren.

Grandparents should just enjoy being a grandparents and leave the parenting decisions to the parents. Read the entire article at charlotte.com.

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Philadelphias mayor, John F. Street, is supporting a proposal to open the citys first public boarding school. If the city approves the proposal, and more importantly, can figure out a way to fund it, the boarding school for sixth-to-eighth grade at-risk boys and girls would open as early as next school year. The school would provide a structured academic program, counseling and other social services. Read the complete article at phillynews.com.

Another good site for information on private boarding schools is teen boarding schools.

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The Denver Post reported on a public school program

"that has built itself as the premier college prep middle school in Denver's urban core, despite its high population of low-income students, is pushing its top eighth-graders, to leave Denver for high school boarding schools."

This had created an interesting mix of feelings for the families of these students. While parents are proud of their childrens accomplishments, theyre also sad to think that their kids may be leaving home.

Read the entire article at DenverPost.com.

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The State.com posted five tips from the January issue of Family Circle that will help parents talk with their teens. Their advice to communicate with teenagers: listen, compromise, stay calm, get to the root of the issue, and let your kids do the work. Read about each parenting tip in more detail.

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Over the last ten years, educators have noticed a downward trend in the number of males attending colleges and universities. Michael Gurian, of The Washington Post, believes that if this trend continues, the male identity as we know it will diminish followed by

the productivity of the next generation of young men, and all the ones that follow.

Studies show that girls outperform boys in academics and boys begin failing in preschool and elementary school. Research shows that girls and boys brains develop differently and that they learn differently. Boys dont respond to sitting still for hours and listening and therefore they need a teaching style that caters to their learning styles.

Read more at The Register-Guard online.

Stone Mountain School is an all boys boarding school that specializes in helping boys with ADD/ADHD and other learning disabilities.

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Last month the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported scientists have discovered that in addition to changing hormones, the teen brain is also going through big changes and development. With the latest discoveries, scientists believe they can test teenagers for mental illness.

"The program, called TeenScreen, was developed by Columbia University, which structured the screening tool based on the latest brain research. The program's developers say it has already shown success in identifying troubled teens who might otherwise slip through the cracks."

Read more.

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In New York, a program has been helping pregnant teens become good mothers. The county of Newburgh offers Community Service Teen Parenting Classes that teach new teen mothers basic childcare. In addition, information on parenting, the young, unwed moms make friends and find valuable support.

Learn more about the program at recordonline.com.

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One dad who shares his opinions on creative parenting in The Mountain Mail says

Adopt the attitude that having and raising kids is fun. Learn to have fun doing the things they like. Get involved with them at all times, with all things, even and maybe especially when they are teens.

Columnist Ken Darby goes on to say that he has learned more, broadened his horizons, and had some of the best experiences of his life because he had fun being a parent. Read more here.

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Recently, the Daily News Journal published an article by columnist Nancy Youree Duggin on the subject of parenting teenagers. Duggin says that although parenting becomes more challenging, adolescents continue to need encouragement and support from their parents.

"Parents must carefully choose the battles they will engage in with their adolescent, discerning what things can be overlooked and which you must deal with immediately. If parents fuss about every behavior in the same way and at the same level, the adolescent is likely to tune out on everything."

Duggin suggests setting limits, talking with your teens, and providing guidance are the key ways to support teenagers as they grow into mature adults. Read more at dnj.com.

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Annette Clifford, parent and author of an article on parenting posted on dailypress.com, says that the key to survival for parents of teenagers is to not freak out.

And I have been guilty of doing so, rather frequently it seems, as one son now prefaces most of his remarks to me with "Don't go psycho again, Mom, but ..."

Her resolution for 2006 is to remain calm during the ups and downs of parenthood. Read more at dailypress.com.

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As the number of stay-at-home Dads increases, traditional family roles are slowly changing to accommodate new role models. Moms are now the breadwinners and Dads cook, clean, and take care of the kids.

An article online at ColumbiaMissourian.com, says that Dads take parenting just as seriously as they did working traditional jobs. As more fathers stay home and more mothers go off to earn money to support their families, traditional roles continue to change. So far, many Dads report little criticism and lots of enthusiasm for their decision. In addition, children of at-home fathers dont have the same sex-role stereotypes.

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Hearldsun.com reports on an experiment with single-gender classrooms.

A team of four teachers at McDougle Middle School decided to divide their students by gender for a month or so, to see if students work harder, behave better and earn higher grades. During the next four-to six-weeks, the teachers will study the students' behavior, grades, cooperation and homework while they work in single-sex environments.

The teachers reported that some of the benefits were visible the first day of the experiment  the classrooms are quieter and the students are more confident. Read the complete story at Hearldsun.com.

Learn more about the Learning Styles of Girls and why Girls Learn Different.

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The Young Womens Leadership School was the countries first single-sex public when it opened ten years ago in New York City. Since then, five all-girl public schools and three all-boys public schools have opened, with more in the works. This article, from the New York Daily News, says

"There's no argument that the school is impressive. "We're pushed by the teachers to do our best," said one student, who wants to be a doctor. She said the lack of boys "allows the different distractions to be limited." Supporters cheer the school and its imitators for addressing the unique needs of boys and girls, and offering families options previously available only in private and parochial schools."

Located in East Harlem, where girls are often harassed and intimidated by boys in school and on the streets, the Young Womens Leadership School boasts a 100% graduation rate. With impressive data like that, its hard not to agree with the experts who say all-girls schools, that cater to the needs of the unique ways girls learn, should be looked at by more public education systems around the country.

Another website that has a look of good information on all-girls schools and girls learning styles is Girls Learn Differently.

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Read this article, from the Victoria News, about adopting older children. Boys and girls nine years old and older are considering more difficult to place with adoptive parents because they have already passed the peak adoption age. Couples looking to adopt should because:

"Older children are often a better lifestyle fit. They are more independent than younger children and allow a different time commitment from parents. People can also make well-educated decisions about what level of responsibility they can take on. Physical, mental and emotional health issues are more apparent than in babies [so parents know what theyre getting into]."

In British Columbia, Canada, an eight-week course educates prospective parents about what to expect and post-adoption services provide support for child, parent and family. In addition, a social worker maintains contact for up to six months to ensure a smooth transition into the family.

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Its a well-known fact that as teenage truancy and dropout rates increase, so does juvenile crime rates. As with most school districts around the country, Kansas City faces budget cutes, cost increases, and agency conflicts and bureaucratic nightmares. The Kansas City Star reports

"There is a direct correlation between declines in school performance and delinquent behavior, said Lori Goff-Brown, who supervises case assessment for the Family Court Division of the Jackson County Circuit Court."

Unfortunately, the underserved students are being lost. Publicly run alternative, charter, and/or transition schools just arent working. And society as a whole is paying the price.

When the public school system fails their children, private schools  like boarding schools for troubled teens that cater to their needs  are probably the best alternatives. Private boarding schools that offer therapy may be just what these teens need to turn their lives around and become mature, productive young adults.

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An article about Depression in Children and Teens by Dr. Lillian Sanvee was published earlier this week in the Liberian Observer.

Dr. Sanvee says that while some adolescents may be able to continue to go on with their lives, some may lose interest in school, change friends and their appearance, and turn to drugs and alcohol.

What can parents do? Obviously, they need to get their children professional help. They need to listen and communicate with their teens about their concerns.

Read the entire article at Liberian Observer.

Another good source for information about teen depression and what parents can do to help their children is www.about-teen-depression.com

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A recent article in the Contra Costa Times opens the debate about whats the right age for children to be left alone. Police are looking into a case where five and nine-year-old brothers where left home when their parents took a five-day vacation in Las Vegas. These parents felt the nine-year-old was capable of looking after him and his younger brother while other couples wouldnt dream of leaving their children alone overnight until they go off to college.

Obviously, the ultimate decision about the appropriate age to leave kids alone must be made by parents after they determine how mature and responsible their child is and if they are capable of taking care of themselves (and their siblings). State guidelines should also be in place to help parents in their decision making process.

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The Dayton Daily News reports that todays families are often overscheduled, overcommitted and underconnected. Parents want their children to be successful and experience a variety of activities, which often leaves little time for a family life. Finding enough hours in the day for activities and spending time as a family are stretching many families to their limits.

The article also explains that health experts are concerned that teenagers are getting enough time to relax, cultivate relationships with their peers, and explore their own interests.

Read more at Dayton Daily News.

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The Montgomeryadvertiser.com just posted this article about Greg Hartleys book How to Spot a Liar. Hartley brings up the topic of why we lie to our kids and how the repercussions of our lies can be seen.

"It is just so easy to lie," says psychologist Robert Feldman, the lead researcher of the University of Massachusetts lie study. We live in a world full of liars and lies: Lying politicians, cheating spouses, disingenuous commercials, Internet sociopaths and homework-eating dogs  some are so commonplace as to now be clichés.

Hartley says parents lie to make their lives easier and to protect their children from the harsh realties of the world.

But what happens as our children grow into young adults? Read more to find out.

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Shreveporttimes.coms Doreen Nagle suggests starting the new year with resolutions for the entire family. Nagle encourages parents to visit parentinginanutshelljoimail.com for Parenting in a Nutshell's Family Pledge because

"It will help remind your family to make 2006 healthy, productive, low stress and happy."

The Family Pledge includes many aspects that families deal with throughout the year, such as diet and exercise; spirituality and setting goals; and getting organized.

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MSN's Health Center just published an article on ways you can help your ADHD child be more successful at school. By educating yourself about ADHD and working with your child and his teachers, you can improve your child's performance in school.
Read more at MSN.com

4-ADHD.com is another great place for Information & Resources for Parents of Children and Teens with ADHD / ADD.

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LJWorld.com published a list of resolutions that focus on strengthening the sometimes strained relationship between teenagers and their parents. As adolescents and their parents struggle to understand each other and their behaviors, these resolutions might help ease tensions between the generations. Listed below are just a few of the resolutions offered by Dr. Wes Crenshaw, a board-certified family psychologist and Marissa Ballard, a high school senior in Lawrence, Kansas.

For parents:

Resolve to find balance in your approach to parenting. The fundamental dilemma of parenting is how much to push versus how much to hold your teen. Resolve to take your relationship with your kids seriously, whatever their ages.

For the teenagers:

Resolve to make more time for your family. Resolve to get good education.

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