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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.

Thursday, November 29, 2007

Sleep Deprivation Can Cause Psychiatric Symptoms in Teens

Is your teen moody? Does he have a temper? Does she fly off the handle? Blame sleep deprivation, say researchers at Harvard Medical School and University of California/Berkeley.

Most people believe that not getting enough sleep makes people sleepy and lethargic. However, sleep deprivation actually activates the brain's emotional centers most closely associated with psychiatric disorders such as depression.

Professor Mary Carskadon of Brown University said the new study might have implications for adolescents, who are being diagnosed with depression in increasing numbers.

"We don't know if early sleep deprivation projects out to things like major depressive disorder or bipolar illness and whether we're setting our kids up for these major problems as they grow up," she said.

The Berkeley/Harvard study appears in the October 23, 2007 issue of Current Biology.

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Labels: depression, development, sleep_deprivation

posted by ByParents-forParents at 7:14 PM 0 comments

Wednesday, September 05, 2007

Over-scheduling, Under-developing

The competitive, high-achieving mind-set that has ruled corporate America for decades has begun working its way into the lives of teenagers and even younger children. Today, it's not unusual for a 12-year-old girl to be involved in so many activities that her day is completely scheduled from sun-up to sun-down. But many experts are trying to warn parents that over-scheduling can have detrimental effects.

"Last year, the American Academy of Pediatrics released a report touting the benefits of play. The report found play 'essential to development because it contributes to the cognitive, physical, social and emotional well-being of children and youth. Play also offers an ideal opportunity for parents to engage fully with their children.'"

Dr. Denise Pope, lecturer at Stanford University's School of Education says that businesses are increasingly disappointed in the graduates they're seeing, who lack the type of creativity and innovation for which they're looking; a direct result, experts say, of an over-scheduled childhood. Read more at WisconsinRapidsTribune.com.

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Labels: development, down_time, time_management

posted by ByParents-forParents at 5:47 PM 0 comments

Monday, August 06, 2007

Overprotective?

No parent wants to see their child hurt or rejected. The desire to protect children from potentially hurtful situations is natural. But parenting expert Dr. James Dobson warns that overprotective parents may inhibit their children's emotional and relational development.

"...in order for your children to become healthy, successful, mature adults, they need to gradually learn independence and responsibility throughout their childhood. Dobson warns that overprotection can cause a child to fall behind in their preparation for adulthood. And a child who hasn't had to solve his own problems won't know how to resolve conflict with other children, and additionally may face rejection... Other risks of overprotection include selfishness, self-centeredness, indecisiveness, lack of self-discipline, unpreparedness for adult freedom and responsibility."

It's important to give your child age-appropriate responsibilities and teach him conflict resolution. Though it's hard to see children get hurt or rejected, they need to learn how to process feelings of sorrow or pain that come from those situations. Read more at 1190kex.com.

Teens with out of control feelings and behaviors can benefit from a residential treatment center like the Aspen Insittute that helps by assessing their behaviors and creating a treatment plan. Visit www.aspenassessment.com to learn more.

Labels: development, parenting_styles, problem_solving

posted by ByParents-forParents at 9:04 PM 0 comments

Thursday, May 24, 2007

Multiple Stressors On Children Affects Their Physical Health

Children who are under constant stress from family fighting, violence, noise and other pressures put more strain on their bodies than children who live without such multiple stressors. However, a supportive mother can make a difference in how much strain they experience.

The research may explain why low-income children often do not function as well in school.

Researchers from Cornell University's College of Human Ecology studied blood pressure measurements and urine samples from 207 children from upstate New York over a period of several years. They found that exposure to chronic and multiple stress factors affected the children's neuroendocrine hormonal systems, cardiovascular responses and metabolism. However, if they received support from their mothers in coping with such stressors, the effect was less.

This study appears in the March 2007 issue of Developmental Psychology.

Labels: development, health, stress

posted by ByParents-forParents at 11:42 PM 0 comments

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