The grim results of sexual irresponsibility are everywhere, not only in unplanned pregnancies and sexually transmitted disease statistics, but also in emotional upheaval, broken hearts and dreams. How can you raise your teen to be sexually responsible, so that he or she can avoid these risks? 1. De-emphasize the double standard. Don’t restrict daughters while […]
Support and Advice
Beyond the normal amazement of how quickly time can fly, you may have the disquieting feeling that your teenager is growing up just a little “too fast.” Maybe you have a thirteen year old daughter who is dating a high school boy, and going to parties where alcohol is served. Perhaps your fourteen year old
While many teens experiment with a cigarette, alcohol or drugs just once, and others confine their substance use entirely to cigarettes, the trend is toward risk clusters instead of one type of risk taking behavior. Recognizing a risk cluster can help a parent spot early signs of trouble. There are four, well documented risk clusters.
It is estimated that one in every thousand young people under the age of seventeen has diabetes. How can you tell if your child or teenager might have this disease? Symptoms include: • Sudden, excessive hunger and thirst • Unexplained weight loss • Frequent urination • Fatigue If your teen has these symptoms, seek medical
Your teen has colds, headaches, stomach aches and a host of other physical complaints. You may find yourself wondering if he is becoming a hypochondriac! The unique stresses of adolescence can make some teens appear to be hypochondriacs. • First, the physical and life changes in teens cause stress and heightened body awareness, so aches
The teen years can be a time of special difficulty and risk for a teenager who has diabetes, asthma, or some other chronic disease. The teen with epilepsy fears that he may not be able to get a driver’s license. The teen with diabetes has to eat on a certain schedule. This can also be
Teenagers are highly conscious and critical of their own bodies. Many girls worry about being too fat, even when their weight is normal. Many boys worry about being too short. You can help your teen to develop a better body image in several ways: 1. Compliment your teenager, whenever you can, about physical attributes. Too
Everyone has his or her own normal biological time table for pubertal development. Some boys, for example, show signs of puberty while still in elementary school, while others can get well into high school still looking like little boys. Being different from the average can be especially hard on a boy who’s puberty is delayed.
While most New Year’s resolutions are made to be broken, you and your teen might resolve, day by day, during the coming year, to improve your relationship with the following resolutions: 1. We will listen to each other. Each of us has a right to a point of view, a right to be heard, even
Even though the shopping days may have dwindled down to none, even though your family may already have opened a variety of gifts, there is still one more Christmas gift you can give your teenager today that can make this holiday special. The best gift you can give your teen today is some special time
