News, Advice, and Tips for Parenting Teenagers

How you feed your baby may influence whether he is overweight as an adult, according to a new study from the University of Copenhagen.

• Researchers studied over 5000 babies born between 1959 and 1961.
• Breast-fed babies were less likely to be overweight, but that did not carry over into their adolescence and adulthood.
• If their caretakers did not feed the babies solid foods until they were three months old or older, they were between 5 and 10 percent less likely to be overweight as teenagers and adults.

The study appears in the Journal of Clinical Nutrition.

Labels: infants, teenagers, overweight, nutrition

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Teenage boys are increasingly using spa services and tanning salons, and opting for tattoos, hair dyes, and body piercing, according to a new study from Baylor University.

• Dr. John Yoo surveyed 150 boys, average age 14.3 years old, and found that they are under pressure from peers to improve their appearances through such procedures.
• Although a majority understand that dyeing hair or using diet pills, tanning booths, and other treatments were not necessarily safe for your health, more boys are deciding to go ahead and use them.
• For example, although almost 75 percent of the boys in the survey believe tanning booths are unsafe, nevertheless, 9.4 percent use them.
• The number of teenage boys receiving spa treatments such as hair removal has doubled since the early 1990s, Dr. Yoo said.

"I studied what kids are teased about," Dr. Yoo said. "If anyone looks different, people tease you. Probably boys who have acne would become really self-conscious. There are cultural differences, but smooth skin is highly desired, and that may translate into other parts of the body."

This research appeared in the journal Adolescence.

Labels: teenagers, boys, appearance

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Teenagers and young adults may not be as motivated to buy cars as were members of previous generations -- partly because today's young people prefer to meet one another electronically, and therefore do not require transportation.

J.D. Power surveyed teenagers and people in their early 20s, and found that young people turn to the Internet to meet their social needs, and expressed little desire to socialize physically. The study also found that young people have negative opinions of the automobile industry, including concerns about pollution and the government bailout of General Motors.

"Generation Y could have the greatest spending power of any generation," said Chance Parker, vice president of J.D. Power. "It will be essential for automakers to earn the trust and loyalty of these consumers who are particularly critical of brands and products."

Labels: teenagers, cars

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Whether or not a teenager develops acne depends on their family history, particularly if their mother had the same problem, according to a study from Germany.

• Researchers who evaluated data on 1,000 high school students found that 14 percent had moderate to severe acne.
• If parents or siblings had acne, that rate increased to 20 percent.
• In addition to family history, other risk factors included having an oily skin or consuming greasy foods.

This study appeared in the Journal of Investigative Dermatology.

Labels: health, teenagers, acne, genetics

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Parents of young drivers should talk to their teens about the dangers of cell phone use in the driver's seat.

Texting and talking on cell phones while driving may be responsible for more than 1,000 fatalities and 240,000 automobile crashes a year, according to some experts. However, it is hard to get accurate statistics because almost half the states do not have a place on their accident forms for police to record "electronic distraction" as a cause of accidents.

"By the time you get to a crash, it is very difficult to determine whether someone was talking on the phone and whether the phone caused the crash," said Rae Tyson, a spokesperson for the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

However, new research suggests that driver distractions are the leading cause of many accidents because about 11% of all drivers are on their phones. Teenagers tend to use text messaging more often than adults while driving. Some studies show that passing laws that ban cellphone use while driving has little effect on teenage drivers.

Researchers from the University of Utah are trying to determine exactly how phones distract drivers. By using cameras to track eye movements, they found that people who are text messaging take their eyes off the road for more than five seconds at a time. Their research also indicates that multitaskers are four times more likely to get into automobile accidents.

Most people know that talking on the phone while driving is dangerous, but they do it anyway. A survey of 1,500 people by an insurance company last year found that 80 percent of cellphone owners say they use their phones while driving, and yet 45 percent said they had been hit or nearly hit by someone talking on a phone.

Information for this post came from a report in the New York Times.

Labels: driving, teenagers, cell phones

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High school students who get good grades sleep more efficiently, according to a study from the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center.

Dr. Jennifer Cousins and her colleagues studied 56 teenagers, ages 14 to 18 years old, who complained about their sleep habits. The researchers measured the participants' sleep and asked them about their grades.

• Students who had a high math scores spent less time in bed, had higher sleep efficiency and greater sleep quality, and took less time to fall asleep.
• High scores in English were associated with fewer nighttime awakenings.
• Students who had a hard time falling asleep, especially over weekends, usually had poorer overall academic performance.
• "The more regular and predictable their sleep is, the better they are likely to do when confronted with short-term sleep deficits," Dr. Cousins said.

A previous study from Columbia University found that teenagers who stay up past midnight are at increased risk for teen depression and thoughts of suicide.

Both studies were presented at the annual meeting of the Associated Professional Sleep Societies.

Labels: teenagers, depression, sleep_deprivation, schoolwork

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Once they've graduated from high school, many teenagers think they've learned all they need to about life. But even students who have learned a lot during their high school years still need flexible, responsible guidance from their parents.

This issue was addressed in a recent issue of The Village Times of New York:

Is it reasonable for an 18-year-old to stay out till four in the morning? During the summer, what does one do until 4 am? Where does one go? Needless to say, parents need to be flexible in this regard. There should be a curfew that can be adjusted based on what the young person has planned for the evening.

Trust is the key where curfews are concerned. Be flexible unless your teenager begins to act recklessly, or is dishonest about where she's going or with whom. Don't threaten any consequence about which you're not prepared to follow through. Though they won't admit it, most graduating seniors still need (and, in many cases, want) want their parents' guidance and authority.

Is your teen displaying undue anger, hostility or defiance? Don't assume that she's just being "a bad kid." Perhaps your child might be suffering from oppositional defiant disorder -- a treatable condition that may be holding her back from achieving her greatest potential.

Labels: teenagers, high school, guidance, defiance

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Fathers who maintain close relationships with their teenagers have an impact on whether or not their children become sexually active, according to a recent study that was conducted at Boston College.

BC's Dr. Rebecca Coley surveyed 3206 teenagers, ages 13 to 18 years old, once a year for four years. All of the teenagers came from two-parent homes. Dr. Coley and her colleagues studied the quality of the teens' relationships with their parents, and noted how often they shared activities with their parents.

The researchers rated relationships with fathers on a five-point scale:

• Every one point translated to a 7 percent lower rate of sexual activity among their teen children.
• Every one point for the mothers, on the other hand, only made a 3 percent difference.
• Each new-shared family activity per week caused a 9 percent drop in sexual activity.

"Maybe there's something different in the way fathers and adolescents interact," Dr. Coley wrote in the journal Child Development, which published the study. "It could be because it's less expected for fathers to be involved so, it packs more punch when they are."

Regardless of the reason, Dr. Coley wrote, the evidence suggests that fathers have an essential role to play in their children's development. "It is extremely important to continue to do things together as a family even when the children become teenagers," she wrote. "It doesn't have to be anything fancy or inexpensive."

Labels: sex, teenagers, parental-involvement, fathers

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More than eight percent of American teenagers went through a major depressive episode in 2008, according to a new study from the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration. This amounts to about two million children ages 12 to 17 years old.

However, the SAMHSA study indicates that only 39 percent of depressed teens received treatment for their depression. In addition, the vast majority (80 percent) of teens who need treatment for substance abuse are not getting the help they need.

A major depressive episode is defined as lasting for at least two weeks, and includes symptoms such as losing pleasure or interest in life, and having problems with sleeping, eating, energy levels, self-image, and concentration.

Much more than "teen moodiness" or just a typical teen phase, teen depression is a serious and potentially life-altering condition that has been associated with issues including (but not limited to) teen suicide, teen substance abuse, and teen behavior problems.

Labels: teenagers, depression, treatment

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A new report released by the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) states that nearly two million kids between the ages of 12 and 17 experienced at least one major depressive episode in the last year. However, only about 39 percent of these depressed young people received any kind of treatment.

A major depressive episode is two weeks or longer with either a depressed mood or a loss of interest or sense of pleasure and at least four other symptoms that reflect a change in functioning, including problems with sleep, eating, energy, concentration, and self-image.( Source: Tulsa World).

Mental health issues still carry a stigma, which prevents many people from seeking treatment. It affects not only the kids who are depressed, but their parents, who tend to minimize the situation or deny that anything is wrong. Left untreated, however, teen depression and other mental health problems can lead to self-medication which can in turn lead to substance abuse and addiction.

Labels: teenagers, depression, mental_health, treatment

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A new study from Harvard University and the University of Pittsburgh found that fathers become more involved with their teenagers once the teens have sex.

Researchers surveyed 3,200 teens (ages 13 to 18) about their sexual practices once a year for four years. The teens tended to become closer to their fathers after the father found out they were having sex; however, mothers were more knowledgeable about their children's lives.

Spending a lot of family time together was the most important factor in reducing risky sexual behaviors such as multiple partners and inconsistent use of birth control.

"There is a second, really important message from our research," said the study's lead author, Levine Coley. "When adolescents engaged more with their families in really simple activities, like eating dinner together, then engagement in sexual activities declined."

The study did not find that parents get angry when they find out their child has become sexually active, which was a conclusion of previous studies.

This study appeared in the journal Child Development.

Labels: sex, teenagers, parental-involvement, fathers

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At the age of 23, Erin is not too far removed from her teenage years to remember having questions about sex. Questions her mom never answered, or even gave Erin opportunities to ask:

Over the years, my mother and I missed many opportunities for honest and healthy conversations about sex and sexuality. We could have shared our values, experiences, hopes, dreams and even our fears. Looking back& I wanted my parents to talk to me about sex. I wanted them to know where I stood on the issue; I wanted to know where they stood. (Source: The Ventura County Star)

May is Teen Pregnancy Prevention Month, which gives parents the perfect opportunity to start  or continue  talking to their teenagers about sex. It may be awkward, but the conversation can be an immeasurably valuable tool to help your child with one of the more difficult aspects of the teen years.

Sexual promiscuity among teenagers has been associated with a wide range of problematic behaviors -- many of which, if not addressed early enough, may necessitate enrollment in a private boarding school.

Labels: parenting_tips, teenagers, pregnancy, sex_education

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A professor at the University of Minnesota has discovered that teens who watch five or more hours of television a day are more likely to have poor diets as young adults:

• Dr. Daheia Barr-Anderson studied 1,366 high school students at age 15 and then again at age 20.
• The study subjects who watched excessive amounts of television as teenagers were more likely to eat more fast foods and snacks and consume sugared sodas as young adults.
• Those who watched less than two hours of television a day as teens were more likely to eat healthy diets, including more fresh fruits and vegetables, as young adults.

This study appeared in the International Journal of Behavioral Nutrition and Physical Activity.

One way to ensure that young people spend ample time away from the television set is to enroll them in a weight loss camp. Camps such as the weight loss and fitness opportunities by Wellspring Camps teach teens about healthy nutrition while ensuring that they get plenty of exercise in a fun, safe, and highly supportive environment.

Labels: teenagers, television, diet

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After studying 754 young people over a five-year period, researchers with Children's Hospital Boston have concluded that children who view adult-oriented television shows may be more likely to begin having sex at an earlier than usual age. A May 4, 2009, article on the ScienceDaily medical news website provided the following details from the study:

The study consisted of 754 participants, 365 males and 389 females, who were tracked during two stages in life: first during childhood, and again five years later when their ages ranged from 12 to 18-years-old.

At each stage, the television programs and movies viewed, and the amount of time spent watching them over a sample weekday and weekend day were logged. The program titles were used to determine what content was intended for adults. The participants' onset of sexual activity was then tracked during the second stage. ...

When the youngest children in the sample--ages 6 to 8-years-old--were exposed to adult-targeted television and movies, they were more likely to have sex earlier when compared those who watched less adult-targeted content. The study found that for every hour the youngest group of children watched adult-targeted content over the two sample days, their chances of having sex during early adolescence increased by 33 percent.

"Television and movies are among the leading sources of information about sex and relationships for adolescents," Hernan Delgado, MD, the lead author of the study, said in the ScienceDaily article. "Our research shows that their sexual attitudes and expectations are influenced much earlier in life."

Previous studies have revealed that many teens who don't engage in early sexual activity and a host of other potentially problematic behaviors cite positive parental influence as the key factor in their decisions.

Labels: adolescents, sex, teenagers, television, parental-involvement

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Finnish researchers have discovered that eight-year-old boys who screened positive for psychiatric problems may be at increased risk for suicide as teenagers. This relationship does not appear to hold true for girls.

Researchers from Turku University Hospital in Finland screened 5,302 people who were born in 1981, and followed them until 2005. Thirteen males and two females within the group committed suicide, and 39 made serious attempts (requiring hospitalization). Of the 27 males in the group, 78 percent screened positive for severe mental problems as eight-year-olds, but this was true of only 11 percent of the girls.

"The main finding of our study is that severe suicidality in adolescence and early adulthood has different childhood trajectories among males and females," the researchers wrote in the journal Archives of General Psychiatry.

Labels: children, suicide, teenagers, warning_signs

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A study of a Big Sister program in Boston found that an adult mentor can improve an adolescent's psychosocial functioning through shared activities, emotional support, and companionship.

Researchers from Boston University School of Social Work interviewed 12 girls and their 12 adult "big sisters" who had been working with them for two to eleven years.

"We found that these girls' relationships with their mentors offered both emotional support and opportunities to develop skills and confidence through collaborations with their mentors in shared activities, such as doing homework together or learning to sing," said Dr. Renee Spencer, author of the study.

This study appeared in the Journal of Primary Prevention.

Labels: parenting, teenagers, girls, mentoring

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A woman recently wrote to an advice columnist, asking what she should do about her friend's daughter, who drinks, smokes and gets into "all sorts of trouble." The girl's mother doesnt seem to have a clue about what her daughter is doing. Should the woman say anything to her friend?

"I suspect your friend already knows about her daughter's destructive behavior," the columnist advised, "but if you truly believe she doesn't have a clue, then I believe she should be enlightened, as this is about her daughter's welfare. Whoever approaches your friend must be prepared for anger, tears, and denial."

This is a hard conversation for any parent to have, and should be handled gently. If you need to talk to a parent about her daughter's behavior, try to keep the conversation from getting too negative. Acknowledge the daughter's good traits as well, express genuine concern about her decisions, and give the parent time to respond.

Source: The Province (Canada)

Labels: teenagers, parental-involvement, girls, involment, interferring

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Teenagers often have mentors. They may not be referred to by this term, but typically there is a coach, teacher or parent of a friend whom your teenager will admire. If you join forces, this person can be a valuable ally during the teen years.

"Sometimes kids can hear better when the words that are spoken are not coming from their own parents' lips. Adolescents who disregard their parents' point of view on principle can sometimes absorb an adult voice of reason when that voice is not genetically akin to their own."

While you want to accept adult friends in your teenager's life, you also want to pay attention to how your teen is being influenced. You want to be sure the influence is positive and is moving your teen in the right direction.

Source: Poughkeepsie Journal

Labels: teens, parenting, teenagers, parents, mentoring

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A new survey of 1,100 teenagers found that 99 percent of boys and 94 percent of girls play video games.

Perhaps the most surprising result of the survey was that video gaming is not an isolated pursuit. About 75 percent of respondents said that they play games with friends at least some of the time, and 65 percent reported played with others in the same room.

A third of the teens, including the younger group (ages 12 to 14), play games with mature content recommended for adults only. However, 52 percent said the games made them think about moral and ethical issues.

The Pew Institute performed the survey with support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation.

Learn more at Video Game Addiction

Labels: video_games, teenagers, teen_culture

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When little kids play together, parents may have to worry about arguments over toys or the rules of a game, but rarely do they have to be concerned about one child abusing another. That can begin to change as kids get older.

"According to Teenage Research Unlimited, one in five teens who have been in a serious relationship reported being hit, slapped, or pushed by a partner; and one in four teens who have been in a serious relationship said their partner has tried to prevent them from spending time with friends or family."

This kind of abuse isn't limited to dating relationships; friendships can be just as unhealthy. As little children become adolescents and then teenagers, parents need to talk to them about the importance of respect, and what to do if someone is mistreating them. Source: The Coloradoan

Read When Teen Romance Turns Violent for more information.

Labels: teenagers, abuse, relationships

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Tammy Linn is a business woman, mother, and has been married for 26 years. But as her kids begin to enter their teenage years, she thinks her most challenging years are still ahead of her. So she developed some "common-sense" tips to help get her through.

"Choose your battles. It's pretty safe to say that I disagree with many of the things my teen says and does, but if I confronted him on all the issues that are 'just not for me,' our mother-son relationship would be nonexistent."

Linn goes on to suggest that parents stop trying to figure out what their teen is thinking ("it will drive you crazy"), and that they catch their kids doing something "right" for which they can receive recognition and praise. Source: AZ Central

Stone Mountain School offers help with troubled boys. Learn more about their therapeutic boarding school at StoneMountainSchool.com.

Labels: parenting_tips, teenagers, advice

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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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Call it the teen recession.

Teen spending on clothes is down by more than 12% this year, and experts believe it will fall further. Teens spend over 40% of their money on fashion, according to the15th semi-annual "Taking Stock with Teens" survey.

Teens represent a huge chunk of the American economy, spending $1.65 trillion over the past ten years. The average person in the 12- to 17-year-old age group spends $70 a week, down from $83 last year.

Labels: teenagers, teen_culture, money

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When children are younger, they love talking to their parents. As they become teenagers, however, that often changes and parents may begin to lose touch.

"While it's normal for teens to want to spend more time with their friends, parents and teens need to stay connected... When it comes to the tough topics, you are the best person to talk to your teen. Clear communication is essential to keeping teens safe. Your teen needs to know what your values and expectations are and the consequences for unacceptable behavior."

The book The Everything Parent's Guide to Raising a Successful Child offers several suggestions for keeping communication open. Among them are "do things one-on-one," "talk often with your teen using an affirmative tone and body language," and "do as I say, not as I do doesn't work." Source: Centre Daily Times

Labels: teenagers, communication, relationships

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A new survey by a national consumer research group finds that the vast majority (over 70%) of teens rate themselves as happy with their friends, talents, grades, health, and family members.

Most teens (58%) are also happy with their bodies and looks (68%). The 13- to 17 year-old group also believes that looks are important to the way you feel about yourself and to being respected by others.

When asked the age-old question of "love or money," teens clearly preferred popularity. Only 24% chose "having a lot of money" compared to the 75% who preferred "having a lot of friends." However, 47% would rather become one of the world's 50 richest people compared to 53% who would rather be among the world's most beautiful.

The Intelligence Group is a market research, trend-forecasting, and consulting company focusing on Gen X, Gen Y, moms, teens and tweens. This survey involved interviews of 750 teenagers.

"The answers to our questions surprised many in the marketing community," said Jane Buckingham, president of the Intelligence Group. "We need to rethink how to appeal to this demographic."

Labels: teenagers, happiness, mental_health

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Strangers are more likely to contact teens who post profiles online or who participate in social networks like Facebook or MySpace, according to a new survey by the Pew Institute.

It did not matter if a teen's profile was public or private. Strangers contacted about one-third of the teens in the survey. Of that group, one-fourth reported feeling scared or uncomfortable when contacted. Girls were more likely to be contacted by strangers than boys.

The survey was conducted in August 2007 among 935 adolescents ages 12 to 17 years old.

Find boarding schools and other programs for troubled teens at TeenBoardingSchools.com.

Labels: internet, teenagers, online_safety

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Staying up late and getting up early seems to be a rite of passage for teenagers. But most scientists and those in the medical community agree that adolescents actually need more sleep, not less. Ideally, teens should get eight to ten hours of sleep a night. But if they have to get up at 6:30am for school, that means they should be in bed by 9:30 or 10pm at the latest. Not likely, right?

"What can a parent do to help their teen stay rested? It seems the ideal scenario would be to allow your teen to do nothing - as if! Instead, help your teen take a look at his or her schedule and see how sleep can be fit in to cut down on incidence of sleep deprivation. Since energy levels usually dim in the afternoon, instead of coming home and plopping down on the computer for an hour to "chat" with friends, encourage your teenager to put up an away message and take a nap."

Though you may not set a strict bedtime for your teen, consider having a "room curfew" that requires your teen to be in his or her room at a certain time. Encourage quite activities (no TV, video games, or computers) after a certain time of night to help your teen begin to wind down.

Read more at TeenagersToday.com.

The best high school boarding schools can be found at BoardingSchoolsInfo.com. Private boarding schools, military boarding schools, and other residential schools are all listed at BoardingSchoolsInfo.com.

Labels: teenagers, sleep_deprivation, curfews

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Teens who learned to drive from their parents, relatives or other non-professional instructors are 50 percent more likely to get into an injury accident, according to a study by the Texas Transportation Institute.

Researchers looked at the records of 1.4 million drivers under age 18. Those drivers who were taught by anyone other than a professional instructor were more likely to be involved in a serious injury accident. Before 1997, all Texas drivers had to have professional training.

Would you like to help your child or teen with Asperger's to achieve success in school? Read "Achieving Success in School Settings for Children and Teens with Aspergers Syndrome".

Labels: driving, teenagers, parents

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A study of teenage boys indicates that many do not like to go to the doctor because they believe that is an unmanly thing to do.

Researchers at Johns Hopkins University analyzed data from 1700 young men ages 15 to 19 years old and found that the boys with the most traditional beliefs about manhood were less likely to visit a doctor. Traditional beliefs were measured by affirmative answers to questions like "Is it essential for a guy to get respect from others?"

If a teenage boy did visit a doctor, he was unlikely to discuss issues such as birth control and sexually transmitted diseases like AIDS. The researchers also reported that while girls openly discuss topics like sex and menstruation with their mothers and physicians, boys do not usually have such discussions with parents or health care providers.

This study appears in the April issue of Pediatrics.

If your son is too cool to talk to a doctor, then how do you get him to open up? Equine therapy and outdoor therapy are two great ways to get teens to work on their issues and get to healthy place in their lives. Learn more at Animal-AssistedTherapy.com and WildernessProgramsInfo.com.

Labels: health, teenagers, communication

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Please Stop the Rollercoaster is a guide for parenting teenagers and can be used independently, or as part of a parenting discussion group. The book is based heavily on research and is designed to help develop parenting skills.

"The hands-on approach helps parents understand their developing adolescent. This book is aimed for parents with teens in grades 6 - 11, and is approved by the National Middle School Association."

A separate leader's guide can be purchased for those who wish to start a discussion group, and excerpts from the book can be downloaded and read online. Read more at PleaseStoptheRollerCoaster.com.

Labels: parenting_tips, teenagers, parenting_books

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Teens from Des Moines, Iowa spent part of Tuesday at the Capitol telling legislators that including medical and scientific information in sex education classes would help reduce and prevent teen pregnancy and disease. Many of the teens agreed that more sex education is needed.

"'You can't do a two-day thing on sex and be like, "OK, you know enough." You can't say, "Here's pamphlets and video, let's call it a day,"' said [Venessa] McDole, who is a peer counselor with R3..."

The Iowa Senate and House both have bills on the table that would require science-based, age-appropriate sex education. A subcommittee with discuss the bills today. Read more at DesMoinesRegister.com.

Labels: education, sex, teenagers

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Parents of teenagers often seek solace in books. Some are looking for advice; others simply want to know they're not alone. The teenage years are tough, both for the teen and for the parent.

"Teens are beautiful in the same way that thunderstorms are. You never know whether to step outside and revel in the display or run for cover."

This list of books offers both sound advice and reassurance that parents all over the world are struggling with the same experiences, questions, and doubts. Read more at ParentingTeens.com.

Labels: parenting, teenagers

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In 15 months, 15 teens were killed in driving accidents in the state of Illinois. In an order to reduce the number of needless deaths, state Senators and Representatives are proposing a bill that would toughen the laws that govern teen drivers.

"One provision would triple the amount of time - from three months to nine - that a teen (typically a 15-year-old) must hold a learner's permit. Only six states now have a permit phase that is nine months or longer, according to the Insurance Information Institute."

Other provisions include earlier curfews and six hours required driving with an instructor. Read more online.

Labels: driving, teenagers, laws

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Overweight teenagers will follow the example of parents who maintain a healthy body image and good weight control strategies, according to a new study published in the Journal of Adolescent Health.

• Researchers at the University of California in San Diego studied 103 overweight adolescents and their parents from the Minneapolis area.
• The team researched how well the family got along and the levels of parental depression, self esteem and body satisfaction influenced the children.
• If the parents practiced healthy weight control measures such as exercising and eating more fruits and vegetables, the teens tended to follow suit.

"Attachment or bonding in the family was shown to decrease children's episodes of over- eating," Dr. Brenda Lohman, author of the study, said. "Family and household stress has been linked to increased levels of childhood and adolescent obesity."
 

Labels: parental influence, teenagers, overweight

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In a tough April 28 editorial entitled "Adults Required," the Worcester (MA) Telegram & Gazette criticized an area couple for allowing underage drinking to occur on their property -- and encouraged other parents to remain vigilant against the scourge of teen alcohol abuse:

Ronald and Susan Smits were arrested Friday night after police responded to their home, where they found one intoxicated teen wandering the yard, others sprinting into the woods, and dozens more in the basement. Some of the teens were drunk. Beer cans covered the top of the pool table. ...

Any of the dozens of young people present might have become the subject of a tragic headline the next morning. Responsible parents and homeowners cannot turn a blind eye to underage drinking.

It’s now up to the courts to remind the Smits of the responsibilities they seem to have forgotten. For thousands of other parents in Massachusetts, this incident should act as a reminder that supervision and saying no to your child is an essential part of being a parent, and one of the best ways to ensure that he or she makes it safely to adulthood.

Labels: teenagers, alcohol, substance_abuse

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A study of 30,000 teenagers in Norway found that too much time in front of television, computers, and video games produces physical complaints such as headaches, neck, back and shoulder pain. Headaches in girls were particularly associated with computer use and television, but not video games.

The study was published in BMC Public Health.
 

Labels: video_games, health, teenagers, television, computers, pain

Posted By: Jane St. Clair 1 Comment

If you have teenagers, you know this scenario: You’ve had a bad day. You come home, ready to shed your work suit, but on something comfortable and just relax. But your teenage son wants a sandwich and there’s no bread. You suggest he eat something else so you don’t have to go to the store, but he doesn’t care that you’ve had a bad day – he wants a sandwich.

“Fortunately, there is something you can do [to] change some of this behavior… wait until later, then go to them and let them know that their behavior was unacceptable. ‘What you did today, when I asked you to back off because I had a hard day, was really not okay. It was selfish and inconsiderate. I really needed you to cut me some slack and you didn’t. That was really selfish.’” - Source: The Globe and Mail

The teenage years pose a unique challenge for both parent and child. The teen wants to be treated more like an adult but still have the freedom to behave like a child. And parents need to encourage more adult behavior while understanding that teens are still kids and will sometimes act like it.

Labels: parenting tips, teenagers

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