Talking To Your Kids About Drugs

Parents often fear that if they discuss a subject like sex or drugs with their child that will push them towards the behavior. In fact the opposite is true. Children whose parents are open with them and frequently discuss irresponsible behaviors are less likely to engage in the behaviors themselves. I’m sure you’ve all seen the ads that encourage parents to talk to their kids about drugs and smoking, but how do you do it? Here are some suggestions to make it easier: Be aware – Be aware of the influences that your child faces on a daily basis. Realize … Continue reading →

Signs of Drug Abuse

Drug abuse is a problem that many teens face, especially if the teen has frequent feelings of not fitting in, low self-esteem or depression, or if there is a family history of drug use. As parents we often don’t know exactly what our teenagers are involved in and it isn’t always easy to tell. If you are concerned that your teen might be involved in illegal drugs you need to look for some common signs. The sooner you can intervene the better. Focus Adolescent Services lists five areas that parents can evaluate. Physical Warning Signs fatigue repeated health complaints red … Continue reading →

The Difference Between Drug Abuse and Addiction

Although the use of illegal drugs among teens is dropping in the United States, according to the National Institute on Drug Abuse 50% of high-school graduates have tried illegal drugs, 23% will have used them within the thirty days before the survey, and anywhere from 0.5 to 7% are using drugs on an almost daily basis. Most teens that use drugs are not addicted, although those 0.5 to 7% who use on a daily basis most likely are. But many teens are involved in drug abuse. In fact a 2004 survey conducted by the Department of Health and Human Services … Continue reading →

Celebrating Menarche

Do you remember how you celebrated your first menstrual period? Were you happy? Horrified? Shocked? A little of everything? Many years ago, talking about our periods was not something that was encouraged and many girls only found out what menstruation was after the first (often scary) blood. We know better, we are a more open society and we have many useful tools and references with which to guide our daughters to an earlier education about puberty. For many girls, menarche (our first menstrual period) is a rite of passage that they will never forget. If you answered any of the … Continue reading →

The Choking Game

I’m not sure why they call it a “game”, it’s clearly not something I would consider any fun. But the new rage for teenage euphoria is none other than “The Choking Game”. CBS news recently called it the “newest deadly trend” among teenagers, and I personally have heard stories of kids as young as ten trying this out. What they’re doing is choking each other or themselves to reach a sort of high. This is usually being done with a rope, or a tie, belts or shoelaces. The point is to cut off the flow of oxygen containing blood to … Continue reading →

Teenagers and Cutting – Why..and What to Look For

It’s terrifying to think that teenagers have progressed from sneaking out of the house to actually inflicting pain on themselves to get attention or cope with some kind of emotional pain. It is happening, and it is becoming more and more of a problem. What is cutting? Cutting is when your child cuts themselves with a sharp object enough to break the skin and make it bleed. Cutting is more popular with girls, but is on the rise with boys, too. Cutting is a form of self-injury that is becoming almost a fad among teenagers and tweens alike. Why? While … Continue reading →

Recognizing Child Depression

I’d like to share a story about a girl I know; we’ll call her Sara. When she was in sixth grade her family moved. For reasons she still doesn’t know the boys in the new school ganged up on her. She was teased, called names. She even had rocks thrown at her. No one would be her friend, because the most popular boys hated her. She was devastated. Her self-esteem was destroyed. Over the next few years she went through varying levels of depression. She went from being bubbly, confident, and sometimes bossy, to shy and withdrawn. Her grades went … Continue reading →