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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.

Monday, July 28, 2008

Parents May Need New Computer Rules

Setting and monitoring rules regarding computer use has always been challenging for parents. But laptops (provided or required by some high schools) present a new set of challenges: Students need them for homework, but how do parents make sure that homework is what they're actually using them for?

"Like many other child care professionals, Dr. [Tami] Amiri advocates keeping all computers on the dining room table or other public spot, with the screen in view of an adult, and limiting time spent on non-academic subjects."

While laptops can make it hard for parents to enforce rules, Amiri advises that there should still be rules in place, with clear consequences when those rules aren't followed. Source: The New York Times

If you're worried your teen is spending too much time in front of a computer or TV screen, visit Video Game Addiction to learn more.

Labels: addictions, internet, video_games

posted by ByParents-forParents at 9:08 AM 0 comments

Thursday, April 17, 2008

Teens' Screen-time can Equal 40 or More Hours a Week

Today's teens spend an average of 30 hours per week on "screen time," and a third of teens spend over 40 hours, according to a new Canadian study.

"Screen time" is time spent using computers, playing video games, or watching television.

Researchers questioned 1,293 Montreal 7th graders over a five-year period in a study funded by the National Cancer Institute of Canada. They found:

60% of teens spend at least 20 hours a week in front of screens.

52% of boys and 26% of girls report at least 42 hours per week.

7% report 50 hours or more.

Teens from lower socio-economic backgrounds spend up to five times more time in front of screens than their more affluent counterparts.

This study was presented at the 48th Annual Conference on Cardiovascular Disease Epidemiology and Prevention.

Worried you're child is addicted to video games or the Internet? Visit www.video-game-addiction.org to learn more.

Labels: addictions, internet

posted by ByParents-forParents at 7:00 PM 0 comments

Thursday, January 17, 2008

Dr. Drew Questions Parents

Dr. Drew Pinsky, most famous for his radio call-in show LOVELINE, has joined Partnership for a Drug Free America's TimeToTalk™ campaign. The Assistant Clinical Professor of Psychiatry at the Keck USC School of Medicine has posed a question for parents on the Yahoo! Answers Q&A community.

"Dr. Drew is asking parents the following question currently featured on Yahoo! Answers: 'How do you turn media publicity about celebrities with drug problems into teachable moments for your kids?' Drew's question reflects TimeToTalk's mission to encourage and empower parents to have ongoing conversations with their teens about the risks of drug and alcohol abuse."

Dr. Drew will also create a 30-second public service announcement about addiction recovery that will air during his first episode of VH-1's "Celebrity Rehab with Dr. Drew".

Want to learn more about teen drug use? Visit http://www.adolescent-substance-abuse.com to learn more.

Labels: addictions, drugs, influences

posted by ByParents-forParents at 10:29 PM 0 comments

Monday, April 09, 2007

Online Gambling Dangerous Allure for Teens

The state of Washington discovered in a recent study that nearly 70 percent of its teenagers gambled in 1999, and those numbers have been increasing. The continual rise in popularity of the Internet, combined with events like Celebrity Poker, is drawing more and more young people into this potentially addictive pastime.

"[Christine] Sogn, a veteran substance-abuse counselor, recalled one teenager who stole $2,000 from his parents, then blew it at a nearby casino. His problem began when he started playing Texas Hold 'Em while still in middle school, according to Sogn."

While most teens don't do things that extreme, many spend excessive amounts of time at online gambling sites. And many parents and teachers are reluctant to talk about it because seems like a "safe" thing to do compared with drug and alcohol issues. Though the danger may not be immediate, it could lay the foundation for gambling problems later in life. Read more at SeattlePi.com.

Labels: addictions, gambling, money