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Fluoride, when added to community water supplies, is the most effective public health measure for preventing tooth decay, according to the American Dental Association. Fluoridation of water is safe, only costs the community about 50 cents a person a year, helps persons of all ages and prevents cavities. Fluoride in toothpastes and rinses helps, too. …
Communication among family members can usually be improved if we truly make the effort to understand each other’s personality. One type of person that is often misunderstood is the introvert. The introvert is drained of energy by relating or talking to people, and needs time to be alone or quiet to recharge. Introverts also need …
Plain wooden blocks may be one of the best learning tools for a young child three to seven. their simplicity lends themselves very well to a multiplicity of uses. A child can use wooden blocks to make houses, cars, castles, ranches, robots, or anything else his imagination may dictate. World famous architect Frank Lloyd Wright …
Recent studies have shown that our kids possess a relatively meager understanding of the geography of the country and the world. Naturally this has been made even more difficult by the radical changes occurring in the boundaries of many nations around the world over the past few years. However, there are several things you can …
Children don’t just tattle for attention; they do it because they feel smart and important when they observe something and report it to you. When the “reports” are always negative, it is annoying and unproductive. However, there is a way to change or stop this kind of tattling. Look at it this way. When children …
I have received several letters from parents since the publication of two columns on latchkey children. I strongly agree with readers who believe that our communities desperately need to provide affordable, supervised programs for latchkey children. We must all continue to work to improve this situation by contacting our legislators and our government and school …
Children are like emotional sponges. They will pick up on your tension and anxiety, even if you say nothing. In many cases this can cause more stress than would the truth, because they may imagine far bigger problems than you have, or may think they are the cause of the tension. Many parents feel uncomfortable …
Last month you gave advice to parents who had just decided to divorce. How about tips for those of us who have to deal with problems after the divorce? I often encounter stress when my 13-year-old visits her father, my ex-husband. It just seems to be such a hassle. — G.A., McAllen, Texas Your daughter …
You may see the first signs in her tension and tears or by the remnants of a home pregnancy test in the trash or your daughter may share her fears with you directly. What is the best course of action when your daughter fears she may be pregnant? While home pregnancy tests are undeniably convenient, …
She may call a boy she likes ten or more times a day, perhaps leaving suggestive messages on the answering machine. She may write a boy notes that would make even the most liberal grown Child of the Sixties (or Seventies) blush. She may take the lead in urging sexual activity. She is the central …
Two of the most common eating disorders seen in teens are anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Anorexia nervosa usually occurs in young women, but occasionally afflicts young men. The symptoms include obsessional fear of obesity coupled with refusal to eat, compulsive exercising, severe weight loss and body image distortion. This causes a severely underweight teen to …
Obesity during the teenage years can be a difficult experience. It can limit opportunities, and further damage body image. Also, your teen’s attempts to diet may become a power struggle between yourself and your teen. How can you help your overweight teenager? Here’s some ideas: 1. Don’t use criticism or threats to motivate your over- …
Maybe it seems you have little to be thankful for if your teenager is sullen, uncommunicative, and is openly embarrassed to seen with you much of the time. But this Thanksgiving, remember to give thanks for the little blessings in your life with your teenager: 1. Give thanks for good health — your teens and …
Thanksgiving Message: Giving Thanks for the Little Things Read More »
Even though your teenager is growing up, and in a sense, growing away, there are still ways you can reaffirm and maintain family unity — now and in the future. How can you do this? • Face your problems together as a family. Don’t let denial or blame come between you. Facing pain together can …
Many teens shoplift for the sport of it, under pressure from friends, or because they have problems delaying gratification. How can you prevent your teen from engaging in this form of risk taking? • If your teen feels peer pressure to shoplift, talk about ways to say no and discuss some good reasons to do …
Hope, renewed strength, and the reassurance that you are not alone are major advantages of participating in parental support groups. These may be informal networks of friends, or they may be more formal groups, such as “Toughlove” or “Mothers Without Custody”. These are not therapy groups, but groups run by the participants who tend to …
Has your teenager had a lot of accidents and injuries lately? A series of accidents or obviously reckless behavior can be a sign of depression, even suicidal feelings, and professional counseling may be in order. If your teen doesn’t seem to have serious emotional problems but is still accident prone, try the following strategies: • …
Teenage girls are most at risk for developing eating disorders such as anorexia nervosa and bulimia. Both boys and girls can be at risk for compulsive overeating and obesity. Being even more specific, who are the teenagers most at risk for eating disorders? • First, perfectionistic teens are at high risk for anorexia nervosa and …
There are an estimated one million teen pregnancies each year in this country and not all of them are accidental. Many children have children to have someone to love, to be important, to prove love, or for a host of other reasons. Most don’t realize what parenthood really means. Communicating a realistic view of parenthood …
If a therapist has recommended psychiatric hospitalization or other in-patient therapy for your teen, The American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry recommends asking the following questions: 1. Why is this treatment being recommended? 2. How will it help? 3. What are the alternatives and how do they compare? 4. What does the treatment program …
Questions to Ask Before Your Troubled Teen is Hospitalized Read More »
