News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

In a March 17 commentary on the AdWeek website, author William Higham opines that several aspects of modern society have created an anxious environment in which today's teenagers are much less likely to take the types of risks that defined previous generations of young people:

For today's teenagers, it's less about breaking down barriers than retreating behind them. Anxiety levels are rising among the young, thanks perhaps to a mix of political events and "paranoid parenting."

Recent surveys suggest as many as one in five teens now suffers from clinical depression. A typical teenager today exhibits more anxiety than child psychiatric patients did in the 1950s, according to the American Psychological Association. This is driving a trend for more conservative behaviors.

Although there are many teenagers today who are hedonistic and liberal, I'm seeing a growing trend away from these traits. According to government figures, recent youth rates for illicit drugs have "declined significantly," falling 25 percent in the last six years.

Drinking and smoking rates are also down. Today's conserva-teens are also more concerned about their financial future -- an attitude accelerated by recent economic events. In a recent BBDO survey, U.S. teens chose financial security as their No. 1 life goal.

Labels: risky_behavior, secure, safety

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Californian Gever Tulley has joined the growing chorus of voices that are asking parents to "chill out." His book, titled 50 Dangerous Things (You Should Let Your Children Do) encourages parents to loosen their grips and let kids have some under-supervised fun.

Shannon Proudfoot of Canwest News Service reported on Tulley's parenting philosophy:

"It really started as a snowball of observations that my friends' children were not having the kind of childhood that I did or even they did," says [Tulley]. "It got me thinking about how we become competent and where in the last 30 years we changed our definition of what kids are capable of."

The book's title is "deliberately provocative," he says, and it is meant as both a guidebook for fretful parents who want to loosen up and a "call to action for over-protected children," with instructions on safe ways to experiment with dangerous things.

"We create a false impression in our minds that children are in peril all the time and everywhere, when in fact, according to the most recent studies, this is the safest time in history for children," he said. "There couldn't be a better time to be running around outside playing."

Labels: parenting tips, safety

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A new study found that the risk of a child being seriously injured at overnight summer camp is relatively low compared to other popular sports and physical activities.

"The good news for parents is that our data show that serious injuries are uncommon and resident summer camps," said Dawn Comstock, a professor at the Center For Injury Research and Policy of Nationwide Children's Hospital and the Ohio State University College of Medicine.

• Comstock and her colleagues found that fewer than 3 percent of injured campers required hospital admission.
  
• The vast majority were able to remain at the summer camp or return to camp after they were treated offsite.
• The majority of injuries occurred during scheduled activities, not during unsupervised events.
  

About 11 million children attend residential summer camps every year.

Labels: safety, summer camps

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National Teen Driver Safety Week is being observed for the third time in the United States, with a wide range of programs and events scheduled throughout the nation Oct. 18 to 24.

According to information posted on the NTDSW website, the focus of this years observance is the danger of distracted driving  a problem that, in the case of many young drivers, is exacerbated by the presence of friends in the vehicle:

There are many well-known factors that raise a teen drivers risk of getting in a fatal crash: Speeding, drinking, talking on a cell phone and driving at night are among them. Yet theres another dangerous factor that recent research shows few teens recognize: peer passengers.

Just one teen passenger doubles the risk a teen driver will get into a fatal crash; three or more passengers quadruples the risk. &

The risk is not just for the driver. & Starting at ages 12 to 14, a child passengers risk of dying in a crash with a teen driver doubles, and the risk continues to rise for each teen year. Most teen passengers who die in crashes are riding with a teen driver.

Based on this research, National Teen Driver Safety Week 2008 focused on increasing teens awareness of how passengers contribute to driver distraction, a leading cause of crashes for teens.

Teens have helped develop the Ride Like A Friend peer-to-peer program, including practical tips on how passengers can be helpful. Buckling up, limiting cell phone conversations, and respecting the driver are some of the messages the program offered to teens.

Labels: teens, driving, safety

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Parents who set clear rules about driving have teenagers who are half as likely to get into car crashes, twice as likely to wear their seatbelts, 70 percent less likely to drive when drunk, and 30 percent less likely to talk on cell phones when they are driving.

Parents who are clear that the teen should follow driving rules because they care about them and not because they are trying to control their children are the most successful, reported Dr. Koplin Winston, the author of the study.

Dr. Winston and her colleagues studied questionnaires answered by more than 5,500 students in grades nine to 11.

About 5,000 teenagers die in automobile accidents every year, making such crashes the leading cause of death for that age group.

This study appeared in the journal Pediatrics.

Labels: driving, safety, automobile accidents

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Giving your teenagers their own car may make them happy, but it may also make them less safe. Researchers at Childrens Hospital of Philadelphia found that teenagers drive more carefully in cars they have to share.

"More than 2,000 students who reported driving on their own were the focus of one study; 70 percent said they had their own cars or were the main drivers of cars they used," the Associated Press reported. "Among these main drivers, 25 percent had been involved in crashes, versus just 10 percent of teens who shared driving access."

In 2007, more than 7,000 people in the U.S. were killed in car accidents involving teenagers. Nearly half those deaths were teen drivers. Shared use of a car, and clear driving rules, are two steps parents can take to help keep their kids safe.

Labels: driving, safety

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About 80 percent of teen girls and 58 percent of teen boys send and receive text messages while they are driving, a very dangerous behavior that has been blamed for an increasing number of automobile accidents. Also, more than 65 percent of the teens who were surveyed said that they had asked someone to stop driving in a dangerous way.

These statistics were reached following a survey of 605 young people between the ages of 16 and 20.

Texting while driving is more dangerous than driving in rain or snow or using the phone while driving, according to the Allstate Foundation and the National Organization for Youth Safety, which conducted the survey.

Texting and other unsafe behaviors while behind the wheel are among the issues that have raised concerns about teen maturity and the ability of young people to drive safely.

Labels: driving, safety, text messaging, teen_culture

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A study by the American Automobile Association found that two-thirds of teens killed in traffic accidents in Florida were passengers in cars, not drivers.

Researchers examined state statistics from 1998 to 2007. Of the 1,756 people ages 15 to 17 killed in car crashes, 1,239 were passengers and 517 were drivers. About 38% of the accidents were alcohol-related.

Labels: driving, safety

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In this age of technology, parents are being given more tools to keep track of their teenagers' activities. Today, parents can monitor everything from driving habits to deleted text messages. You can find out what websites your child frequents, and read his email.

"This is where the area gets a little grayer... Where, exactly do we draw the line? Isn't reading a teen's e-mails and texts as much a violation of privacy as opening a personal letter or eavesdropping on a phone call? Is a paper diary with a lock and key the only sacred private space these days?"

These are tough questions that require answers. In the quest to keep our kids safe, are we going too far? Ultimately, each family has to find the right balance between security and freedom; between trust and protection. Source: The Daily Star (New York)

Labels: safety, technology, privacy

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A study of children who were talking on cellphones while crossing streets indicates that they are at increased risk of being hit by cars.

Researchers from the University of Alabama in Birmingham found that children using cellphones took 20 percent longer to cross a street, were less likely to look both ways, and were less likely to see a car about to hit them.

About 54 percent of children ages 8 to 12 years old carry cellphones.

Labels: safety, cell_phones, accidents

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Adults believe that sexual predators are a significant threat to children online. The truth is that bullying from other children is a far more serious issue, according to a report from the Internet Safety Task Force.

Attorneys general from 49 states created the task force to examine the problem of online predators and to suggest solutions. However, the task force found that adults were unlikely to proposition children and teenagers online. Although there have been some cases of meetings between predators and minors, the minors are usually willing participants from troubled home environments.

Social networks such as MySpace and Facebook "do not appear to have increased the overall risk of solicitation," according to the 278-page report.

Some of the participating attorneys general later criticized the task force for downplaying the threat of online predators.

Labels: safety, internet, predators

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A new study from the United Kingdom found that teens are most at risk for car accidents if they have had their licenses for less than 30 weeks, and if there are passengers in the car.

"Young passengers can distract young drivers and encourage them to drive in a risky way," reported the study, which was sponsored by the Association of British Insurers.

American studies have come to similar conclusions, leading to "graduated teen licensing" laws in many states. These laws restrict the time of day and number of passengers allowed in the cars of newly licensed drivers. The British Association is proposing that drivers under age 20 be allowed only one passenger during the first six months of driving.

Labels: driving, safety, licenses

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The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety has asked the nation's governors to raise the legal age for driving to 17 years old.

During the Governors' Highway Safety Association meeting in September, Anne Fleming and other Institute personnel presented a report that indicates that raising the driving age lowers both the crash rate and death rate among teenagers.

Currently, most states license drivers at age 16, although South Dakota allows 14-year-olds to drive. Six states and the District of Columbia have a legal age of 16.5, and only New Jersey's is 17 years old. Great Britain's age for driving is 17, although most European nations require drivers to be at least 18 years old.

"It's a hard sell to go against that double push of parents wanting to get out of the chauffeur business and teens wanting to drive," Ms. Fleming said, but she and others pointed to data from New Jersey that shows seventeen-year-olds have better driving records than sixteen-year-olds.

"Teen brains develop quickly between sixteen and eighteen, so older teens can better access risks," said Dr. Clea McNeely, executive director of Johns Hopkins Center for Adolescent Health. "It would definitely reduce morbidity, no doubt about it. However, it is really hard on families when kids can't drive."

The Institute's proposal comes at a time when more than 100 college presidents have asked governors to work toward lowering the drinking age from 21 to 18.

Labels: driving, safety

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A majority of parents are setting a bad example for their newly licensed teen drivers, according to a national survey done by State Farm Insurance.

Researchers from the company surveyed 1,000 parents of teens who had received their licenses between June 2007 and May 2008. Among their findings: 65 percent of parents use cell phones while driving, 68 percent drive when they are in a hurry, and 65 percent drive when they are overtired.

"We are asking parents to be aware that their teens are watching and learning from their behaviors," said Laurette Stiles, vice president of Strategic Research for State Farm.

Parents who responded to the survey indicated that they would like more information on helping their teens learn to drive on freeways and at night, as well as on issues such as driving while distracted, drinking and driving, and road rage.

Labels: driving, safety, role_models

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Only 38 percent of teens buckle their seatbelts, according to a study of 12,000 students ages 16 years and older. More drivers use belts than passengers - 59 percent compared to 42 percent.

"Seatbelts can reduce the risk of injury and death in crashes by more than 50 percent," said lead researcher Dr. Nathaniel Briggs. "There is a critical need for interventions to increase seat belt use by teenagers."

About 6,000 teens die in car crashes every year, and close to 500,000 suffer life-altering injuries. Automobiles are the number one cause of teen deaths.

The study appears in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Labels: driving, risky_behavior, safety

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A study of Canadian high school students found that the majority believe they could survive any kind of injury incurred during a car accident. Most also believe that they are better drivers than older people with more driving experience.

"We talk about it all the time," said Dr. Najma Ahmed, author of the study and a trauma center physician. "But they really do think they're invincible. They really think that because they're young they could survive anything and that only old people die in hospitals."

Dr. Ahmed and her colleagues surveyed 260 students 15 to 17 years old for a study published in the Journal of the American College of Surgeons.

Labels: driving, risky_behavior, safety

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Summer means a lot more free time for teenagers. Though they may have summer jobs, they don't have homework, sports, or other extra-curricular activities. Take some extra steps to ensure that the lazy days of summer are safe ones.

"It's important for parents to create an atmosphere of open communication with their teens, especially during the summer months when teens have more free time. ... Along with setting firm rules and guidelines, parents can teach teens critical decision-making skills to help them make responsible choices - including not drinking when underage."

Parents have far more influence than they realize. According to the 2007 GfK Roper Youth Report, 69 percent of teenagers say their parents are the top influencers on their decisions regarding drugs and alcohol. Source: Albion (Indiana) New Era

Labels: safety, summer

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Kim's teenage daughter had ridden her favorite horse thousands of times. She'd gone to the barn, saddled the horse, and taken it to the riding ring thousands of times. But this one time, a new horse in the barn attacked her daughter's horse, and her daughter had to scramble for safety.

"I asked her if the worst part was being scared she would be kicked or not being able to help her horse. She didn't hesitate, telling me the helpless feeling as she watched her horse get hurt was the worst. Welcome to parenthood. Every parent can relate to that pit in the stomach when something happens to our children and we can't fix it."

Kim reminded her daughter that she did the right thing by getting out of the way. Then she gave some advice that she knew she needed to follow as well: You can't second-guess your actions, you can only learn from them. Parents can't prevent every bad thing that happens to their kids, but they can learn from the situation - and help their kids learn as well. Source: Haven (NC) News

Labels: safety, independence, control

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Representatives from the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency, web domain company Go Daddy, and a host of other organizations have asked Congress to impose additional restrictions on the online pharmacy industry as a means of fighting the illegal distribution of prescription medication.

According to the McClatchy news service, the DEA has requested that Congress pass legislation requiring a valid prescription written after a face-to-face medical evaluation as a precursor to making a prescription drug purchase over the Internet.

Testifying June 24, 2008, before the House Subcommittee on Crime, Terrorism, and Homeland Security, Joseph Rannazzisi, the deputy assistant administrator of the DEA's Office of Diversion Control, noted that while a normal brick-and-mortar pharmacy fills about 180 prescriptions a day (11 of which are for anti-anxiety or pain-killing medication), an average illicit online pharmacy processes more than 400 daily sales of controlled substances.

The problem of online pharmacies "isn't just about people trying to save money on prescription drugs by unknowingly buying counterfeit brand name pills," Christine Jones, Go Daddy's general counsel, told the subcommittee. "This is about young kids who use their parents' credit card, tell them they are buying music or video games and instead stock the weekly party with enough ecstasy for them and all their friends. This is very, very serious."

The June 24 meeting was not the first time that Congress has looked at the online pharmaceutical industry. During a May 16, 2007 hearing by the Senate Committee on the Judiciary, Joseph A. Califano of the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse referred to the Internet as "a pharmaceutical candy store, its shelves stacked with an array of addictive prescription drugs offering a high to any kid with a credit card number at the click of a mouse."

Labels: safety, internet, prescription_drugs

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More than two-thirds of teen drivers killed in car accidents at night were not wearing seatbelts, according to a study from the National Highway Safety Administration.

Nationally, seatbelt usage is increasing, with 82% of drivers and passengers fastening up.

However, seatbelt usage declines at night by over 20%. Car fatalities tend to occur between midnight and 3 a.m. During those hours, the fatality rate is 20 times higher than it is for daytime driving.

Nationally, about 4,400 teenagers 16 to 19 years old die in car accidents every year.

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Labels: driving, risky_behavior, safety

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In recent days, MySpace has been in the news again. A federal grand jury indicted a mother whom they say played a cruel hoax - via MySpace - on a 13-year-old girl that resulted in the girl's suicide. Stories like this feed the fears many parents have about social networking sites and the Internet in general.

"Experts warn that taking MySpace away just makes the site all the more seductive for today's tech-savvy kids, who find a workaround. Also, cybersyping driven by fear of MySpace, rather than a child's bad behavior, can break the trust between a parent and child and create a rift in their relationship."

Instead, child psychologists and others recommend that parents set clear rules around Internet use, including consequences for breaking rules. Put the family computer in a common room where activity can't be hidden, and keep communication open so your child knows that she can come to you if something negative happens. Source: MSNBC

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Labels: safety, internet, myspace

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When a driver is newly licensed, he or she is by definition inexperienced. However, only 15% of teens believe their friends are inexperienced drivers, according to a survey from the Center for Injury Research and Prevention at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia.

Over 85% of the 5,665 high school students in the survey said their friends were experienced drivers, even though "everyone they are driving with is virtually inexperienced," said lead researcher Dr. Kenneth R. Ginsburg.

Although having passengers in the car or using cell phones while driving increase the chance of an accident, very few teens in the survey recognized these dangers. Two-thirds said they usually travel with others in the car and a majority thought it was okay to talk on the phone while driving. This study appears in Pediatrics.

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Labels: driving, risky_behavior, safety

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Teens who live in big cities like Chicago and New York are less likely to die in car accidents than their peers who live in smaller cities or rural areas, according to a new report from Allstate Insurance Company.

About 6,000 American teenagers die in car crashes every year. The number one cause of teen fatalities is driver error and not alcohol, as most people may believe.

Fatal car crashes for teens in rural areas are double those in cities and suburbs.

The most deadly areas for car crashes are the Tampa area in Florida; Orlando, FL; Jacksonville, FL; Nashville, TN; Phoenix, AZ; Kansas City, MO; and Atlanta, GA. The cities with the fewest teen car deaths are San Francisco/Oakland, CA; San Jose, CA; New York City; Los Angeles, CA; Cleveland, OH; Milwaukee, WI; Boston, MS; Portland, OR; Salt Lake City, UT; and Chicago, IL.

Labels: driving, safety, teenagers

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It used to be that parents worried about what their kids were doing on their computers. Now, many parents are beginning to wonder what their kids are doing on their cell phones. Now that most cell phones offer Internet access, the Web is available just about everywhere.

"Among teens, there is a strong demand for text messaging and email on cell phones. Now they want additional features, too, says Chris Collins, a senior analyst with Yankee Group. In a survey, 26% of teens said that having Internet access was a must-have feature for the next phone they bought..."

Many cell phone carriers offer options that allow parents to control how much access kids have to the Internet. Some service plans enable parents to block certain types of websites, or block Internet access altogether. Source: The Wall Street Journal

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Labels: safety, internet, cell_phones

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Almost 90 percent of 18- to 29-year-olds own cell phones, and 32 percent of them say they "couldn't live without" their mobile phone, according to the Pew Internet & American Life Survey completed in December 2007.

The study revealed that cell phone ownership gives young people a false sense of safety.
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"Especially for women, cell phones offer a sense of security that may make them more willing to put themselves in risky situations," said study author Jack Nasar, a professor of city and regional planning at Ohio State University.

Cell phone users are more likely to walk alone at night if they are carrying their phones. If they are talking on their phones, they are more likely to cross busy streets without looking and take risks when driving.

Labels: risky_behavior, safety, cell_phones

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The Kansas State House Transportation Committee is considering a bill that would, among other things, enact a graduated driver's license. The bill would also raise the age requirement for obtaining driving permits from 14- to 15-years-old.

"The bill would restrict young drivers in a number of ways including reduced driving hours and prohibitions on cell phone usage and number of young passengers in the car."

Additionally, the proposal raises the age requirement for restricted licenses from 15- to 16-years-old and limits driving hours to between 5 a.m. and 9 p.m. Read more at CJOnline.com.

Keeping your teen safe behind the wheel and from other risky behaviors can be challenging. Visit our Resources for Parents section to learn more free parenting tips and advice.

Labels: driving, safety, liability

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Researchers at the University of Michigan are calling for restrictions on teen driving at night and on weekends, after studying seventeen years of records of automobile crashes.

The University of Michigan Transportation Research Institute scholars went through data from 7000 teenage drivers and recommended that teens be licensed to drive in a series of phases. In Phase 1, they could drive only if a licensed adult driver were in the car. In later phases, they could have passengers in the car and drive at night or weekends.

The researchers found that teen drivers are two and a half times more likely to be involved in an automobile accident than adult drivers, and their risk increases at night, on weekends and when there are passengers in the car.

Other states, including California, already have such granulated licenses for adolescents.

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Labels: driving, safety, research

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After nearly getting into an accident with her teenage son behind the wheel, Corinne Fortenbacher decided the family car needed some kind of marking that would tell others on the road her son was a novice driver. Neither she, nor her son, could find anything they liked, so they created a magnet of their own.

"The result is their expanding 'Rookie Driver' designation, currently distributed in 45 states and Canada. Fortenbacher says parent concerns and the fact that over one million teens are involved in auto accidents each year have helped spread the word."

Their web site, RookieDriver.net, contains tips, a blog, and other "teen driver safety aids", all of which are designed by teenagers.

Labels: driving, safety

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Tom and Cindy (not their real names) know more about their daughter than she could possibly imagine. Using one of many available programs, they are able to view her email, instant messages, and track the web sites she views.

"Every time Jane writes or reads one of those [keywords], Cindy gets an email and can see what she's up to. It's a far cry from past generations, where parents knew what their kids were up to. The family telephone didn't offer much privacy."

Parents have reason to worry. Nearly one-third of all teens who are online have been contacted by a stranger. Still, some kids and parents consider this level of monitoring an invasion of privacy and insist there are other ways to keep kids safe. It's a debate that's likely to continue as long as there are teens, parents, and the Internet.

Keeping kids safe online, and offline, can be a daunting task for any parent. Visit the ParentingTipsNewsletter for more free advice and help for parents of teenagers.

Labels: safety, internet, privacy

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Rural teens are more likely to get into automobile accidents than teens who drive in cities, according to a study by the Texas Transportation Institute.

Spokesperson Russell Henk said, "Teens believe nothing is going to happen to me; there are only two cars on the road. The risk is higher because the speed limit is higher on rural roads. The speed of traffic is lower in urban areas because of congestion."

In 2006, 65% of teen fatalities occurred on rural roads. Besides the speeds involved, other risk factors in rural driving are driving after 10 pm, talking on cell phones or sending text messages while driving, driving without seat belts, having too many teens in one car, and drag racing.

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Labels: driving, safety, accidents

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In an age of cell phones, GPS tracking systems and internet "monitoring", some worry that parenting has become less like parenting and more like stalking. We no longer have to trust and hope that our teens are going where they say they are, we can simply sit down at our computer and access information from the GPS device hidden in their jacket or attached to their car.

"It's not clear that a surveillance society actually provides more security. Consider the ubiquitous surveillance cameras at schools. What did they do for that Cleveland high school last month except to leave behind chilling, post-mortem pictures of the 14-year-old shooter? And how easy is it to drop the GPS jacket by the roadside?"

Two-way communication still needs to be part of parenting. Once upon a time, all parents could do was ask questions and cross their fingers - and those generations seemed to turn out alright. Additional safety measures aren't bad, if they are in fact additions to standard parenting approaches of communication with and trust in our kids.

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Labels: safety, communication, trust

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Having a cell phone has become more than a rite of passage for teens; it has become commonplace. It can also help keep a teen safe. But rather than just handing over a phone, crossing fingers and hoping the bills aren't sky high, consider having your teen sign a usage contract.

"Contracts with adolescents are an excellent parenting approach because teens yearn to be treated as adults. These parents are not dictating cell phone usage but instead pulling their teenager into full agreement; he obtains the privilege of using a cell phone but only under certain conditions."

If the teen violates the conditions, he loses the phone for a predetermined time. A contract not only teaches the teen responsibility, but helps the parents keep cell phone costs under control.

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Labels: safety, responsibility, cell_phones

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Parents sometimes feel nervous or uncomfortable about the predominately teen-inhabited world of text and instant messaging. Parents want to know their kids are safe and not engaging in inappropriate behavior, but don't know how to decipher the codes and abbreviations used in messaging chats.

"The easiest way to get started is to realize that you'll never know all the lingo that your teen or child will know. Choose bits and pieces of lingo then turn to a guide or lingo dictionary for guidance. Some terminology is common sense, some is completely unnecessary and some is a way to hide information. Check out resources available to educate yourself on chat lingo and decide if you want the necessities or more of the whole picture."

With all the stories out there about child predators, many parents are fearful of their teens using social networking sites or on-line chat applications. While a bit of caution is good, fear and panic aren't necessary. Most on-line activity is harmless. Set ground rules, keep the family computer in an open room, and let your teen know that you're monitoring, to a degree, their activity.

Labels: safety, communication, text_messaging

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Parents sometimes feel nervous or uncomfortable about the predominately teen-inhabited world of text and instant messaging. Parents want to know their kids are safe and not engaging in inappropriate behavior, but don't know how to decipher the codes and abbreviations used in messaging chats.

"The easiest way to get started is to realize that you'll never know all the lingo that your teen or child will know. Choose bits and pieces of lingo then turn to a guide or lingo dictionary for guidance. Some terminology is common sense, some is completely unnecessary and some is a way to hide information. Check out resources available to educate yourself on chat lingo and decide if you want the necessities or more of the whole picture."

With all the stories out there about child predators, many parents are fearful of their teens using social networking sites or on-line chat applications. While a bit of caution is good, fear and panic aren't necessary. Most on-line activity is harmless. Set ground rules, keep the family computer in an open room, and let your teen know that youre monitoring, to a degree, their activity.

Labels: safety, communication, text_messaging

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A young girl writes in to an Arizona newspaper, asking for reasons why boy and girls should have adult supervision. The responder, Marilyn Heins, makes her case well.

"It sounds as though you are old enough to know about sex and you have hormones that already have changed your body and now lead you to think about sex a lot, or least about kissing and stuff like that. But I'm pretty certain that you aren't old enough to know how to deal with these curiosities and urges. So you need help learning how to be the boss of your body."

Heins goes on to say that girls and boys need help understanding why it's important to learn to control their bodies and their urges.

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Labels: safety, sex, supervision

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A report from the American Physical Therapy Association says that carrying a backpack weighing more than 10 to 15% of a child's weight will throw off his or her posture, leading to muscle strain and vulnerability to injuries.

The APTA suggests that children wear two shoulder straps, put heaviest items closer to their backs, and use hip and chest belts to transfer weight from their backs to their hips and torsos. The group also recommends wheeled backpacks with handles long enough so that a child does not have bend over to reach them.

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Labels: health, safety, backpacks

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Last week, AT&T announced a new service that will allow parents to set cell phone limits for their children. While most parents want their kids to have cell phones for safety reasons, they don't want kids being able to call and text at all hours of the day and night.

"The functions, ranging from call blocking and hour limits to text message and download allowances, will be set through a Web site. Calls to or from a parent's number can be made to override the restrictions, and calls to 911 can be made anytime."

The add-on feature is called Smart Limits and will cost $4.99 per month per line.

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Labels: safety, responsibility, cell_phones

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Across America many cities, counties and states have made laws increasingly strict for teen drivers. Graduated laws ban young drivers from having other teens in the car. To get around this law, some teens have resorted to riding in the trunk.

"'I've ridden in the trunk many times,' said David Mack. 'We often have too many people in the car and since I'm the smallest, it all came down to me.'"

But teens don't realize that "trunking" is not only illegal, but extremely dangerous. Experts are pushing parents to make their kids aware of the driving laws, stating that it's up to the parents to ensure kids make it "through their teenage years safely." Read more at WoodTV.com.

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Labels: driving, risky_behavior, safety

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There's no shortage of special news reports and newspaper articles about the dangers of on line social networking sites like MySpace. But most of MySpace is positive and safe.

"Kids raise money for mission trips, they raise the profile for their music or art, and they have direct access to millions of people without wading through the corporate cesspool. Composers of all sorts still post their music on their pages, and in our rootless society, friends and family from around the world can log on and hear it."

MySpace Chief Security Officer Hemanshu Nigam says that safety remains a top priority for the web site, but that technical solutions only work if parents are teaching teens to be safe, too. Read more at VailTrail.com.

Drugs and teens don't have to go together. Learn how you can prevent your child from going down the wrong path at Adolescent-Substance-Abuse.com.

Labels: safety, internet, positivies

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It's estimated that 60 percent of the tween population will have cell phones by the year 2010. A tween is defined as anyone between 8 and 12 years of age. The rising trend is due mostly to parents who view cell phones as a good way to keep track of their kids.

"Elizabeth Englander, a psychology professor at Bridgewater State College, says there can be positive and negative aspects to a child as young as 7 or 8 years old having a cell. She says it all depends on weighing a phone's pros and cons. She says there is an advantage to a younger child having a cell phone to call a parent during an emergency or to be picked up, but that kids and parents must be aware of the possible dangers."

Dangers include a child being called by someone who intends them harm, or the possibility of receiving disturbing pictures or videos on their phone. The likelihood of these things happening is minimal, and it's up to parents to decide if the benefits outweigh the potential negatives. Read more at TheSunChronicle.com.

Boarding schools for middle school girls can get a tween who's headed down the wrong path back on track. New Leaf Academy is a private girls schools with campuses in Central Oregon and North Carolina.

Labels: safety, tweens, cell_phones

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

SafeCo is preparing to launch a new program called "Teensurance", meant to help parents monitor the driving habits of their teenagers. The program consists of a GPS device that can be installed in a car to record information. Parents can then monitor the information on line.

"The service, for $15 per month, gives drivers 24/7 roadside assistance, and lets parents set speed limits and 'safe driving zones,' and use curfew reminders."

If a driver goes over the speed limit or leaves a designated safety zone, an alert is sent via text message or email. SafeCo Vice President Jim Havens said they developed Teensurance in response to parental concerns over teenagers' initial driving period. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, car crashes are the number one cause of death among U.S. teenagers. Read more at StatesmanJournal.com.

Mention the term "teenage drug addiction" to any parent and you'll see a look of concern cross their face. Lear more at Adolescent-Substance-Abuse.com.

Labels: driving, safety

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

Recently, a fatal crash in Ontario County, New York took the lives of several teenagers. Authorities suspect the driver may have been sending a text message from her cell phone in the moments before the crash. It sounds astonishing, but texting and driving are becoming more common among teens.

"'The two main factors in accidents involving teens are inexperience and distractions', said Dan Strollo, president of In Control Advanced Driver Training."

A recent survey by FOX News in Minnesota found that 86 percent of teens admitted reading text messages while driving. Seventy-five percent admitted to sending text messages while behind the wheel. Read more online.

If text messaging is the least of your worries, you might be facing more serious problems with your teenager, like adolescent substance abuse. Learn more about adolescent substance abuse and what you can do to help your child at the Teen-Help-Directory.com.

Labels: driving, safety, text_messaging

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

On June 5th, a parent's worst nightmare became reality for the parents of Elizabeth Smart when she was abducted from their Salt Lake City home. The criminals threatened physical harm to Elizabeth, which was enough to keep her and her younger sister quiet. How does a parent combat this kind of tactic when fear is such a deeply ingrained part of the human psyche?

"Detective Ryan OConnell, 30-year police veteran, advises, 'You have to drill into your children the fact that NOISE is their best defense in the face of abduction. Regardless of what threat is being made at them or their loved ones, they MUST raise alarm, cause a commotion, put the fear of being caught into the bad person.'"

Age-appropriate tips should be communicated often to children. And though children shouldn't be taught to live in fear, they should learn to be aware of their surroundings and how best to stay safe. Read more at Take2Max.com.

Labels: safety, communication, awareness

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

"Online predator" is a phrase that's become well-known thanks to shows like Dateline's To Catch a Predator. Social networking sites have been the subject of news stories and all-school events where kids are warned not to post pictures or personal information on line. But Anastasia Goodstein, author of the book Totally Wired, thinks some of the scare tactics might be overstated.

"The biggest myth that has been perpetuated by well meaning law enforcement, Internet safety advocates, and the media is that the Internet is teeming with predators who are waiting for your child to post just enough information so they can find them and abduct them."

The truth is that, of the 800,000 kids that are reported missing every year, only about 150 are actually kidnapped by strangers. Most men who seek out kids and teenagers online aren't secretive about their identity. Most, about 80% are very open about who they are and what they want. The kids who talk to these men are often kids who have suffered some kind of physical or sexual abuse or have an otherwise troubled home life. Read more at PBS.org.

Labels: media_infuences, safety, internet

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

More teen drivers are injured and killed between June and September than during the remaining months of the year. There are many factors that play into this statistic and many things parents can do to keep their teens safe.

"It appears that old-fashioned parenting is waning especially with a host of new products that help parents keep tabs on their children, including one-touch phones and even electronic tags that can be sewn into clothing. However, remember that eyes, ears and plain old attention and accountability go a long way in keeping tabs on your children."

Studies have shown that parents who set strict rules and consequences for their teen drivers significantly reduce risky driving behavior such as speeding, and adjusting the radio or CD player while driving. Read more at WacoTrib.com.

Labels: driving, risky_behavior, safety

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 1 Comment

Most teenagers seemed to have their cell phones permanently attached to their hands and ears. During prom season, parents can use that to their benefit, but staying in touch with kids and making sure they know who they're with and what they're doing.

"Most phones come with cameras, and some parents should tell their teens not only to call, but also to send a photo of a landmark once they get to a destination[Terry Blinke, Dow High's Prom President] said."

Some kids may think it's a little over-the-top, but things like underage drinking are real risks during prom season. Make sure your teen knows that you simply want to make sure she's safe, but that you also want her to have fun. Read more at OurMidland.com.

Labels: safety, cell_phones, prom

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 0 Comments

Nine out of ten teenagers have driven cars while they are distracted, according to a new study from the American Automobile Association and Seventeen magazine.

Distractions included adjusting the radio or other music players, eating, texting, and talking on cell phones. The majority told interviewers they did not see anything wrong with their behaviors.

"It's great that so many teenagers are able to identify the bad driving habits that will put them and their friends in danger," said the editor of Seventeen magazine, Ann Shoket. "The bigger challenge we face now is to give them the tools they need to stop driving while distracted."
 

Labels: driving, safety, text messaging, cell phones

Posted By: By Parents For Parents 1 Comment

Teenagers in Indiana who took driver's education courses in school had five times the number of crashes as those who do not.

Sarah Meyer of the Indiana Bureau of Motor Vehicles, reporting to the state legislature, said that those who take drivers education get their permits at younger ages and have their permits at least six months longer than those who do not. Therefore, they are driving more and have more opportunity to get into accidents.

Nevertheless, the Indiana legislature is considering overhauling the drivers' education system, because, as one law-maker said, "obviously what we have is not working."

Labels: driving, safety

Posted By: Aspen Education Group 2 Comments

Kicking, screaming and running away enabled children to escape from kidnappers, according to a report from the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.

• Researchers looked at 4,200 unsuccessful abductions attempted by strangers and found that children who escaped usually did so by their own actions.
• Adults helped the children escape in only 16% of the cases.
• In 30% of the cases, children escaped by kicking and screaming, and in 53%, by running away.

Girls were involved in 70% of the cases.

• Girls ages 10 to 14 years old were most at risk, although other studies have found that teenagers are those most likely to abducted by strangers.
• Most cases in the new study occurred between 2 and 7 PM, and the child was most often approached by someone in a vehicle.

"Children escape these things not through the efforts of good Samaritans but by recognizing a bad situation and either getting away from it, avoiding it, or screaming and kicking to draw attention," said Ernie Allen, president of the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children.
 

Labels: safety, predators

Posted By: By Parents For Parents 1 Comment

Parents can buy a new device designed to stop teenagers from using cell phones when they are driving .

Studies have shown that texting while driving makes it 24 times more likely that you will have an automobile accident, and talking on a cell phone increases your chances of accidents by four-fold. About half of all teenagers text while driving, according to the New York Times.

The new devices rely on global positioning systems (GPS) within the cell phones. If the person is moving more than 10 mph, the device jams the cell phone. "MESSAGES BLOCKED" appears on the screen, and incoming calls are sent to voicemail.
 

Labels: driving, safety, parents, text messaging

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment