Helping Kids Deal With Stress

When we think of stress, we typically think about adults and stress but our kids are just as venerable to stress as we are. Some of the events that can cause stress to kids include: When their parents are having problems. Fighting with a friend or a sibling. Taking a test, grades, school and homework. Teens often stress over whether someone thinks they are attractive. Not having enough privacy. Transferring to a new school. Parent(s) remarrying. Not having enough money. Feeling a teacher does not like them. Peers, gossip and teasing. How do kids handle stress? According to a KidsHealth … Continue reading →

Growing Pains

When you are a parent writing about parenting issues, sometimes you don’t have to go in search of topics to write about, they come to you. Take Sunday night for instance. It was about 11 PM and I was working on an article that’s not due until the end of January but I like to finish far in advance in case something happens. Anyway, Tyler cries out in pain that his legs are hurting “bad, bad, bad.” He was on the verge of tears and I could tell by the expression on his face that he wasn’t pretending. Since I … Continue reading →

November Is A Great Time To Talk To Your Kids About The Dangers of Smoking

November 16th is the annual Great American Smokeout. What a great time to talk to your kids about the dangers of smoking. Just like having to talk about sex, many parents are at a loss when it comes to talking to their kids about drugs–and that’s exactly what a cigarette is, a deadly drug. Here are some tips to get you started: (1) Have your kids write a paper on why they should not smoke. Have them actually research the dangers of smoking and present their findings in a well-thought out report. (2) Of course, being a role model is … Continue reading →

Causes of Child Depression

More and more children are being treated for depression. Teen Depression.org states that as many as one in every 33 children and one in eight adolescents may have depression. Suicide is the 3rd leading cause of death among adolescents’ ages 15-19 and 6th leading cause of death among children ages 5-14. Although more girls actually attempt suicide at a rate of 3:1 more boys actually die from suicide. The sad thing is that most of the deaths could have been prevented if the child’s parents had recognized the signs of depression. But what causes child depression? And what exactly do … Continue reading →

Backpack Safety Tips- Part II

Here are more tips for backpack safety. (3) BSA cautions that you should use both shoulder straps and that they fit snug but not too tight.Using both shoulder straps will distribute the weight evenly. The American Occupational Therapy Association (AOTA) adds that the shoulder straps should be well-padded and have a waist belt for extra support. AOTA suggests buying a backpack with reflective trim to increase visibility when carrying in the evening. AOTA also advises selecting a backpack that is appropriate to the size and age of the child. They add that a loosely hanging backpack pulls the child backwards … Continue reading →

Tips for Backpack Safety- Part I

With the beginning of another school year comes the all important decision of which backpack to buy. I found this out a few weeks ago when I took my five-year-old shopping for supplies for kindergarten. I was surprised at the vast number of selections to choose from: Cars, Superman, Spiderman, the list went on and on. After careful thought, Tyler decided he wanted to go with Superman, complete with a giant S emblazoned on the front. Not really a big surprise since he just got a new bike, also with the Superman motif. More than 40 million students carry backpacks … Continue reading →

Teenage Drug Abuse Statistics

Although the use of many drugs have recently declined among teenagers there are still a significant number using illegal drugs. In the National Institute on Drug Abuse 2005 Monitoring the Future survey researchers found that 50% of high school seniors report some use of an illicit drug during their life. Many parents do not realize the signs of drug abuse or realize the prevalence among teenagers. Alcohol is the most common substance used, with 75% of seniors having at least tried alcohol and 23% within the last month. Few teenagers truly understand the risks associated with drinking alcohol and often … Continue reading →

Smoking Ads Attract Teens

If you are like me you have noticed the anti-smoking ads on T.V. that are targeting teens and their parents. The reason is simple 90% of adult smokers started smoking in their teens and then could not quit. Very few adults ever start smoking because they realize the health risks and cost associated with smoking. It is teenagers that are vulnerable to smoking. In fact the CDC estimates that about 3,000 teenagers start smoking every day and 70% of teens have tried smoking at least once. As of result of the 1998 legal settlement the tobacco industry is prohibited from … Continue reading →

Your Child’s Been Invited To A Pox Party!

What’s the latest trend in parties for kids? Pox parties! Pox parties are cropping up around the country, no it has nothing to do with music or the latest fad, instead they center on a common childhood illness chicken pox. Many parents are concerned about the chicken pox immunization and the possible risks associated with the vaccine. They are also aware that children do need to get the disease because chicken pox as an adult is usually associated with complications. The solution – pox parties! Parents who want their child exposed to the chicken pox virus join an email ring. … Continue reading →

Soda In Schools? No More!

We recently moved to a new school district and we couldn’t believe that our local elementary school had fully stocked vending machines, accessible to kids, full of sodas, candy and other unhealthy snacks. I can’t imagine why they would offer this or how these snacks could be beneficial to children or help promote learning. Rapidly rising childhood obesity rates have caused schools, often driven by parents, to also consider the connection between snacks and health. Most of these snacks, particularly soda and other drinks are high in sugar and devoid of any nutritional value at all. They are being consumed … Continue reading →