News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers
The By Parents For Parents Blog is regularly updated with the latest news and information on topics that relate to parenting teenagers. We'll post parenting advice and tips from trusted online news sources and expert parenting columns.
We invite you to add your comments. Please let us know if you would like some specific topics covered, want to share your experience as a parent dealing with teens, or just have general feedback on the By Parents For Parents Blog.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Peer Mediation Works for Teenagers
The Melrose High School' peer mediation program, currently in its 5th year, boasts an almost 90% resolution rate of all conflicts. Seniors believe the mediation program has brought the student body closer. Read more
online.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 3:02 PM
Friday, February 24, 2006
Teens Are More Stressed Out Than We Know
Some teenagers, especially boys, have a difficult time dealing with the emotional roller coaster ride known as adolescence. Teens feel pressure to head off to college. Parents need to build a support team so that as teens are faced with new experiences and additional stresses they have people to turn to for help. The
Newton Bee has the full story.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 10:22 AM
Thursday, February 23, 2006
Parenting Advice: Don’t Micromanage Your Teen
Often, parents’ anxieties can lead to micromanaging their teenagers’ social lives. By letting your teen learn some of lessons on their own, they are less apt to rebel. Read more about parental micromanagement online at
www.ohio.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 11:01 AM
Wednesday, February 22, 2006
Are Today’s Teens at Risk?
Although some of the statistics are troubling, officials said the recent results of the 2005 New Hampshire Youth Risk Behavior Survey in are promising. The survey of almost 1300 teenagers, showed a decline in use of alcohol but an increase in marijuana use. Experts believe that education is the key to changing teens' attitudes. Read more results online at
www.seacoastonline.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 4:01 PM
Tuesday, February 21, 2006
Raising Children with Self-Esteem
Because experts say that self-esteem influences every part of our lives, when kids reach adolescence, it’s important parents understand the magnitude of helping their teens discover their self-worth. Teenagers base their self-esteem on things like body image, rejection, abuse, and neglect. Parents must pay attention to the warning signs when their child is struggling with self-esteem. Read the entire article from the Arizona Republic at
www.azcentral.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 10:31 AM
Monday, February 20, 2006
It’s OK for Parents to Disagree
At one time or another, most parents disagree on how to raise their kids. Disagreeing is fine, as long as parents handle the disagreements properly.
“Specialists in parenting and child development agree that couples would do well to discuss and decide early in their marriage the things that are most important to them and best for any children.”
Read more at
www.olrandosentinel.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 3:24 PM
Sunday, February 19, 2006
Nevada Courts Help Families in Conflict
Nevada County's Unified Family Court has a program for divorced parents and their children, one for juvenile delinquency, and another for family violence. Superior Court Judge Carl F. Bryan II, is the man most responsible developing a court system that relies on mediation as a first course of action whenever possible. Bryan’s vision is a court process that helps people when they are in crisis. Read more at
www.theunion.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 10:09 AM
Saturday, February 18, 2006
Help for Families of Depressed Teens
The Boston Globe reports about new support groups for families with teenagers suffering from depression. Parents share their experiences raising depressed or bipolar children so that other moms and dads can benefit from their insights. Learn more online at
www.boston.com.
Another website with helpful
resources for parents of teenagers is About Teen Depression. At that site, you can find adolescent depression symptoms and treatment options.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 11:20 AM
Friday, February 17, 2006
Starting School Later in the Day Proves Positive
In 2203, the city of Wilton, CT, delayed the start times at it’s high schools and middle schools by 45 minutes. Since then, research shows that their teens are getting more sleep, principls say there’s more respect in the classrooms, and their SAT scores are better than ever. Studies show that schools with later start times have better attendance, less tardiness, and less teenage depression. Read more about the advantages to later start times and the affects of adolescent sleep deprivation at
www.courant.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 12:45 PM
Thursday, February 16, 2006
Teaching Children Fiscal Responsibility
Giving your child a weekly allowance can be an important part of teaching financial responsibility. But, that can be difficult nowadays since kids and teens are spending more and more.
“On average, teens spent $91 a week last year - including money from an allowance or that parents gave them for purchases when asked - according to Teenage Research Unlimited, which surveyed 2,000 young people ages 12 to 19.”
And the old-fashioned idea of giving teenagers money for chores or grades is no longer cool. Read the entire article from
buffalonews.com.
Here’s another good article about
helping your teenager learn about money.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 9:39 PM
Wednesday, February 15, 2006
Helping Teens Make the Right Choices
Today’s teenagers face peer pressure and stresses that they simply can’t handle by themselves. That’s why it’s so important for parents to be positive role models for their children. It’s each parent’s job to know what their child is doing, how they’re developing and what challenges they’re going through, because the consequences of irresponsible parenting affects everyone. Read more
online.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 2:19 PM
Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Critics Say Boot Camps Are Still No Good
After a 14-year-old boy died at the Bay County Sherriff’s Office Boot Camp, critics says they’re not surprised that the state run scream camp for juvenile delinquents killed the boy with their system of brutal discipline and tough love. They say that the “fad to consign juvenile offenders to military-style boot camps started a dozen years ago and quickly spread to 27 states. The camps nurtured sadistic guards and horrible abuse while 65 to 75 percent of its inmates were back in trouble within a year.” Read more about how many states have abandoned boot camps because of their ineffectiveness and waste of money at
www.miami.com.
Boot Camps Info is a great resource for
information about boot camps and alternative programs for troubled teens.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 9:47 AM
Monday, February 13, 2006
Answers to Questions About Kids with ADD / ADHD
The
Boston Globe’s “Ask the Teacher” column offers advice to parents of children with ADD/ADHD or other learning disabilities. Ellen Peterson, a 4th grade teacher in Weymouth says that IQ tests may offer clues as to why children loose focus and don’t finish their work on time. Peterson also says that talking with your child about all aspects of school will help you stay involved and learn about any other problems they may be experiencing.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 9:12 AM
Sunday, February 12, 2006
Young Children Learn Important Life Lessons
Third graders in New England, New York, and New Jersey are learning how to deal with stress. The “Open Circle” program, which also teaches children about “community, responsibility, cooperation, respect and assertiveness” helps foster social and emotional growth. Teachers attend training workshops to facilitate the program, which is funded by the schools and grants. Learn more at
tauntongazette.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 8:56 PM
Friday, February 10, 2006
A Teen’s Perspective
Hannah Janoowalla, a senior at Passaic High School in New Jersey, shares her views on what it takes to maintain a strong, healthy parent-teen relationship. Janoowalla believes that by giving teenagers the freedom to discover themselves a bond is created through trust. Read the rest of the teen’s opinions on parenting at the
Herald News.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 8:20 AM
Thursday, February 09, 2006
Support Group for Parents
Parents Anonymous of Iowa provides support, education and information to parents with children of all ages. About 10-20 parents attend each session and discuss issues ranging from infant care, discipline, and children having problems at school. The goal is for parents to share their experiences and learn new parenting skills. Learn more online at
desmoinesregister.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 5:42 PM
Wednesday, February 08, 2006
Mental Health a Real Concern Among Parents
While the spotlight has been on families in crisis in Kentucky, all around the world our children are experiencing more mental and emotional health issues than ever before. A crisis care counselor shares ways to recognize the problems and the risk factors so that parents can act before their teen takes drastic measures. Read all the clues and ways to help
online.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 11:07 AM
Tuesday, February 07, 2006
Parents Must Stop Teen Violence
In Natchez, MS, programs designed to help parents prevent juvenile crimes are working. By giving teenagers alternatives to getting into trouble and opportunities to do the right thing, parents can help their child change their behavior before they wind up in a jail cell. Read more in
The Natchez Democrat.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 10:00 AM
Saturday, February 04, 2006
CO Schools Keep Boys More Interested in Academics
In an effort t to cater to the learning styles of boys, the Boulder Valley School District has allowed boys more freedom to move around their classrooms and in their choice of topics to study. Results prove that teaching to boys in a way that they can to relate to “has narrowed the gap between boys and girls on tests administered under the Colorado Student Achievement Program.” Read more from the
Rocky Mountain News.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 10:38 PM
Friday, February 03, 2006
Tips to Steer Kids Away from Smoking
How do parents that just quit smoking themselves teach their children not to smoke? Experts say that even if parents smoked in the past, they can explain to their kids that it’s a scary addiction and that they quit to become better role models. Parents should set a strong example to work against peer pressure. Read the rest of the tips at
lsj.com.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 7:12 PM
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Art Therapy Helps Troubled Girls
In Rockville, MD, girls at a residential treatment center for troubled teens used expressive therapy – art therapy – to communicate their thoughts and feelings. In addition to reducing tension, building self-respect and self-esteem, by giving the teenagers their own “space” it kept the girls interested and helped further their treatment. Read more at
gazette.net.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 10:27 AM
Wednesday, February 01, 2006
Programs to Prevent Runaways
The Union Leader in NH reports on programs geared at helping families deal with issues before things get so bad that teens runaway. These programs are also geared to reunite families of children who have already runaway. There are classes that teach parents how to become more involved with their children and workshops that encourage teenagers to explore their strengths. Learn who to contact
online.
posted by ByParents-forParents at 11:33 AM
