The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conducts an annual survey of adolescents on a wide range of topics. Entitled The Youth Risk Behavior Survey, the report offers helpful information on the behaviors of teenagers. Today’s blog will be focusing on dietary behaviors. Since adolescence is a time of rapid growth and development, having a balanced diet and good nutrition
Read moreRegardless of the generation, teenagers have often used music as a way to relax, bond with friends, and develop their own identities. There is something delightful to youth in blaring a particularly great song. Equally as common, parents hate the “loud noise.” They find the lyrics too offensive, the volume too loud, and the songs too chaotic. It seems each
Read moreAs our nation’s Independence Day approaches, it’s a great time to consider how to instill good citizenship in youth, since they are the future of our country. With our nation so divided and political tensions running high, you might feel disillusioned with spouting off any rhetoric that supports America. While it’s true that our country is far from perfect, there
Read moreA recent report from Common Sense Media, the nonprofit media watchdog, suggests that companion-like artificial intelligence (AI) apps pose “unacceptable risks” to children and teenagers. Common Sense Media worked with Stanford University researchers to test three popular AI companion services: Character.AI, Replika and Nomi. What are AI Companion Apps? A growing trend among youth, AI companion apps are designed to simulate
Read moreA new C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital National Poll on Children’s Health released this month suggests that parents are talking to their children about puberty too late. Among the findings: As humans, we all feel less nervous and handle things better when we know what to expect. That’s why it’s a great idea to begin speaking to younger kids (ages 7-9)
Read moreIt may come as a surprise for some parents to learn that most teens are suffering from a strong case of self-doubt or poor self-image. In fact, a person’s self-concept is usually lower during the adolescent years than at any other time in life. With so many social pressures swirling around them at an important developmental milestone, teenagers are particularly
Read moreOne of the most important skills we can instill in teenagers is to manage money responsibly. If we want our youth to develop into successful adults, they need to learn fundamental concepts, such as saving, how credit works, budgeting, and consumer rights. Many high schools do not cover this material, and even if they do, they don’t always make it
Read moreOne of the most important skills we can instill in teenagers is to manage money responsibly. If we want our youth to develop into successful adults, they need to learn fundamental concepts, such as saving, credit, budgeting, and consumer rights. Many high schools do not cover this material, and even if they do, they don’t always make it relevant to
Read moreEveryone feels lonely sometimes, but persistent loneliness is a real epidemic among this generation of youth. Teens today are struggling with depression, anxiety and loneliness at higher rates than any previous generation. Young people who have no coping skills for loneliness are more likely to make poor decisions in life. Teens who learn that loneliness is a temporary feeling, and
Read moreRejection can be incredibly painful, especially for adolescents who are developmentally wired to try to fit in and belong. Teens have less life experience to know how to cope with rejection, and are more prone to feel embarrassed about almost anything, so rejection can feel more like an “end of my life” failure. Rejection in a teen’s life can be
Read moreWhen a child hits adolescence (beginning about 12-years-old), it’s time for parents to stop making decisions for them and start making decisions with them. Transitioning from your child’s decision-maker to your teen’s guide is not easy for any parent, but it’s necessary to maintain a good relationship with your teen as well as prepare them for adulthood. When our children were little, we managed
Read moreAmerican culture places a lot of pressure on boys to think they need to have a strong physique, hide their emotions, and act in an aggressively dominant way to be considered a “real man.” Our society tends to think that men should not ask for help, always be in control, exert power over others, and avoid expressing any emotion except
Read moreIn the past, getting a driver’s license was seen as an exciting rite of passage. Teens waited eagerly for their 16th birthday to gain a new level of freedom. Nowadays, more and more teenagers are delaying the process of obtaining their driver’s license. According to a 2020 study, nearly 40% of teens delayed getting their license by one to two years, and
Read moreResilience is one of the greatest predictors of a person’s success and is associated with greater satisfaction in life. Resilient people cope with adversity in a positive way or quickly rebound from challenges. When stress or trauma strikes, a resilient person still experiences anger, grief and pain, but they are able to keep functioning — both physically and psychologically. Resilient
Read moreIt’s a normal rite of passage for teens to date, and while it can cause parents some worry, dating helps young people learn to get along with others, communicate, negotiate, make decisions, and learn to be assertive. But parental concern can become a bigger issue if you genuinely don’t like your teen’s choice in dating partner. It’s important to remember
Read moreDuring adolescence, youth are trying to figure out who they are, establish their independence, and express themselves all while dealing with significant hormone fluctuations and peer pressure. Every child handles these challenges differently. Unfortunately, in some teens, this process can cause them to act out in an angry, argumentative, withdrawn, or rebellious manner. Parenting a defiant teen is hard, and
Read moreArtificial Intelligence (AI) has made it much easier to produce photos, videos and content online, but that also means that it’s easier to produce fake or misleading content. American teenagers get most of their information online, and especially from social media, which means they are coming across AI-generated content all the time. Recent studies by Common Sense Media (Jan 2025
Read moreAs parents, we tend to worry about raising our child “correctly,” we want to fix everything our child is not doing well, and we fear the potential pitfalls and rebellion that adolescence brings. In fact, we can become so focused on all the challenges that parenting presents, we can forget to simply enjoy our evolving relationship with our child. It’s
Read moreMore teens obtained part-time employment in 2024 than in any previous year since 2008. Most believe the increased teen employment last year was due in part to an increasing demand for labor, as well as high inflation and the need to help out the family with rising costs. Experts believe the reasons the teen employment rate was previously so low
Read moreNew research published last week in the journal Computers in Human Behavior showed that a short period away from your smartphone can lead to noticeable shifts in brain activity. Scientists discovered that just 72 hours of smartphone restriction altered activity in brain regions linked to reward and self-control. These changes suggest that our constant connection to smartphones may have a more
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